2023 Union Square riot
| 2023 Union Square riot | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Part of riots and civil unrest in the history of the United States | |||
Crowd awaiting the arrival of Kai Cenat at Union Square, Manhattan | |||
| Date | August 4, 2023 c. 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (UTC−4:00) | ||
| Location | Union Square, Manhattan, New York 40°44′9″N 73°59′28″W / 40.73583°N 73.99111°W | ||
| Caused by | Lack of city permit for large gathering | ||
| Goals | Unplanned giveaway of gaming-related items | ||
| Methods | Public gathering, social media promotion | ||
| Status | Dispersed | ||
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| Cenat's charges were dropped after he paid restitution and issued a public apology in 2024 | |||
status, result.On August 4, 2023, at approximately 3:30 p.m., American Internet personality Kai Cenat held an unpermitted event—a giveaway of gaming-related items in New York City's Union Square, accompanied by partners Fanum, Duke Dennis, and Agent 00 from the AMP collective. Attendees who correctly answered questions about YouTube and live streaming were eligible for prizes. The event drew thousands to Union Square Park and escalated into a riot with clashes between police and crowd members. Social media posts of the event surfaced around the same time. Seven people were injured, and 65 people—including 30 minors—were arrested. The neighborhood’s subway station and surrounding businesses were temporarily closed.
Cenat was taken into custody by the New York City Police Department and charged with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly. Charges were later dropped after he paid $55,000 in restitution. His business partners at AMP apologized, and Cenat publicly apologized in a live stream on August 9. The incident drew national media attention in publications such as NPR and Wired about the influence of Internet personalities.