Twitch streamer charged after chaotic PlayStation giveaway in New York City
A PlayStation Giveaway organized by Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat in New York City’s Union Square Park leads to chaotic scenes and multiple charges for the YouTuber, as police pursue legal action following the event.
In a stream immediately following the giveaway, Cenat expresses disappointment in the trouble caused, and says that his intention was to give back to the community. In the same stream, however, he expresses some confusion about why people behaved the way they did.
In the immediate aftermath of the giveaway, which Cenat announced expecting only a few dozen fans to show up but which led to thousands flooding the area, leading to injuries and police involvement, the Twitch streamer went into hiding and slowed down his streaming schedule.
In his first stream since the incident, however, Cenat says that he is not trying to evade responsibility but is simply trying to give himself time to reflect on the matter.
“I’m aware that we’re all human beings and we make mistakes, but the thing I want to reflect on is why did people act the way they did? I’m going to be completely honest with you guys, I don’t condone any of the actions that took place, but I want to understand why it happened. It’s important for me to understand that.”
Cenat says that he realizes the extent of his influence, and remarks that if he were to do something similar in the future he would take the necessary steps to do it correctly. However, he now faces court dates, and will have to take a break from streaming temporarily.
Charges brought against Cenat by the NYPD include riot, inciting to riot, and unlawful assembly, with potential penalties ranging from fines to prison time.
The NYPD is leading the investigation into the incident and has not yet been in contact with the Bronx District Attorney’s office. The District Attorney’s office has been contacted by PC Game Spotlight for further information on the matter.
In the meantime, it appears that Cenat is attempting to continue streaming as normal. You can find more of Cenat’s streams on Twitch here.
