2023 Union Square riot
2023 riot in New York City / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On August 4, 2023, at approximately 3:30 p.m. EDT, internet personality Kai Cenat held a purported giveaway of gaming-related items in Union Square, Manhattan, while not having a permit for the gathering. The event, which drew thousands of participants to Union Square Park, became a riot. Social media posts of the event surfaced around the same time.
2023 Union Square riot | |||||
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Part of riots and civil unrest in the history of the United States | |||||
Crowd awaiting the arrival of Kai Cenat at Union Square, Manhattan | |||||
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Belligerents | |||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||
Units involved | |||||
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Strength | |||||
2,000–5,000 | 1,000 | ||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
6 injured 65 arrested 1 charged (Kai Cenat) |
3 injured Multiple police cars destroyed |
Cenat was taken into police custody by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) during the riot and was charged with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly. He appeared in court on August 16 and 18. His business partners at Any Means Possible apologized for the riot. Cenat would also apologize in a livestream on August 9. The incident led to discussion and debate about the influence of internet personalities.