Crowd in the thousands overwhelms New York City’s Union Square, tosses chairs, climbs on vehicles

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Union Square in Manhattan was thrown into chaos as thousands of individuals gathered for a much-publicized giveaway organized by an internet personality. The event took an unexpected turn when the crowd began engaging in aggressive behavior, throwing chairs, scaling vehicles, and turning violent. Law enforcement had a tough time managing the disorderly situation.

Aerial coverage of the incident showed a massive crowd moving through the streets, climbing park structures and obstructing traffic. Teens were seen damaging car windows with objects, and some risked their safety by climbing on moving vehicles. Buses too, were subjected to the crowd’s unruly behavior.

By late afternoon, a significant number of police officers had succeeded in restoring order in most parts of the affected area. However, sporadic conflicts persisted, with youths toppling barricades and throwing objects at the police, including a flower pot. Footage showed police taking stern action, tackling people to the ground and chasing them.

The New York Police Department couldn’t immediately provide details about injuries or arrests, but several people were observed in hand restraints, sitting on sidewalks. Some were being escorted by police. Lines of officers formed in the streets in an attempt to guide the crowd.

The person responsible for the event was Kai Cenat, a streamer who had advertised a giveaway on his Instagram. Some of the attendees shared that they hoped to receive a new PlayStation or a computer for livestreaming.

Cenat, 21, with a massive following on Twitch and YouTube, is renowned for his livestreams and daily vlogs. Despite the situation, he went live on Twitch from inside a vehicle and encouraged everyone to stay safe. He was later seen leaving his vehicle and making his way through the crowd before his stream ended.

A local business owner, Carina Treile, witnessed the chaotic scene unfold from her eyewear shop, Petite Optique. She expressed surprise at the chaos, mentioning that such giveaway events were typically orderly. She described hearing loud bangs that scared some people in the crowd, causing them to run.

Police officers, equipped with batons and metal barricades, took control of the situation, urging the crowd to disperse and declaring the gathering unlawful.

Contributors to this report include Big Big News writers Brooke Lansdale, Mallika Sen, Deepti Hajela, Mallika Sen, and Karen Matthews.

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More about Union Square chaos

• Kai Cenat’s Twitch Channel
• Kai Cenat’s YouTube Channel
• New York Police Department
• Streamy Awards
• Petite Optique