A popular Twitch streamer and YouTube personality who was charged with inciting a riot last year after a New York City giveaway turned into chaos with thrown rocks, bottles and fireworks will not be prosecuted, the prosecutor’s office said.
Kai Cenat and two others have already paid more than $57,000 and Cenat publicly apologized after the event in Union Square Park went disastrously wrong on Aug. 4, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
The event was not permitted or sanctioned by the city. Cenat, a video game streamer, made promises that he’d give away video game consoles, PCs, gaming chairs and keyboards, among other highly sought-after items.
Hundreds attended. Police said bottles, rocks and fireworks were thrown, aerial video showed people standing on cars, and the NYPD said three officers were injured after police were attacked and in the crush of people.
“The total restitution of $57,099 covers the landscaping damage and additional staff hours needed for clean-up,” the Manhattan DA’s office said. “All of the restitution payments have already been made.”
Cenat, now 22, himself paid $55,000 to the Union Square Partnership under the deal, the district attorney’s office said.
He posted an apology on social media Tuesday in which he admitted he created “an unintentional dangerous situation due to the way I promoted and advertised it.”
“I am from NY and would never want to see the city turned upside down due to unwanted, irresponsible, and dangerous behavior,” Cenat wrote.
“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,” he wrote.
The NYPD arrested Cenat on charges of riot, inciting to riot and unlawful assembly.
“The case will be officially dismissed after the apology is on social media for a full 24 hours,” the spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said.
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