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Twitch gamer Kai Cenat won't be prosecuted for Union Square chaos, publicly apologizes
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 8, 2024
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Alexi J. Rosenfeld / Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published May 8, 2024
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Manhattan prosecutors agreed to drop charges on Tuesday against Kai Cenat, the online streamer and video game influencer accused of inciting a riot in Union Square last August when thousands of people showed up for a giveaway he promoted.
District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office said it would not prosecute the charges against Cenat and two others, Denzel Dennis and Muktar Din, after they paid more than $57,000 in combined restitution for damages to the square’s landscaping and posted a public apology about the incident on social media. The three have had no new arrests since the Aug. 4 incident that took residents and police by surprise and temporarily disrupted transit, according to the DA’s office.
The case was set to be dismissed after the apology — shared by Cenat on Snapchat and reposted by Dennis and Din — remained on the platform for 24 hours.
“I am from NY and would never want to see the city turned upside down due to unwanted, irresponsible, and dangerous behavior,” Cenat, a Bronx native, said in the post. “I wanted to do something cool and fun for people and did not think it was going to turn into something that caused harm to the city, and I should have thought more about the post before I announced it.”
Kai Cenat's public apology for the Aug. 4, 2023 mass crowding at Union Square, seen on Snapchat on May 7, 2024.
Courtesy of the Manhattan District Attorney's office
The chaotic crowd of mostly younger people overwhelmed Union Square park on a Friday afternoon, leading to Cenat’s arrest on misdemeanor charges. Police said some of those who came breached a nearby construction site and started throwing tools and other objects. The crowd had been lured by the influencer’s promises of gift cards and free PS 5 game systems, according to authorities.
Cenat, a world-famous gamer on the streaming platform Twitch, said in his statement that the actions of those who “act[ed] out physically” and destroyed property during the incident were “unacceptable.” He also apologized to the first responders and business owners who had to deal with the mess.
According to Bragg’s office, Cenat paid the bulk of the total restitution amount — $55,000 — to the Union Square Partnership, which helps maintain the park and surrounding area. Dennis and Din were each required to pay about $1,050 to the organization. Beyond the landscaping damage, the fees are covering the additional staff hours that were needed for the cleanup.
Cenat currently has about 25 million followers on YouTube, Instagram and Twitch, where he livestreams himself playing popular video games.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
manhattan
Alvin Bragg
union square
social media
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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