Social Media Influencer. Others Facing Felony Charges

Felony charges were brought against five of the estimated 5,000 people involved in the chaos that erupted at Union Square on Friday when a social media influencer’s PlayStation giveaway turned into a riot in which cops were pelted with bottles and debris and out-of-control teens jumped and danced on cars, police said Saturday.

The NY Daily News reports the alleged instigator of the mayhem — Kai Cenat, who has 6.5 million followers on the gaming site Twitch and four million on YouTube — was freed with a desk appearance ticket on a low-level, Class E felony charge of riot, as well as misdemeanor charges of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly, said police.

Kai Cenat

When Cenat was freed at about 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, a security guard rushed him into a waiting SUV, and he was driven away. At the time, police sources said Cenat had only been charged with a misdemeanor.

Among those also charged with felonies were a 31-year-old homeless man who is accused of biting and head-butting a cop and threatening to kill police officers after he was rounded up in the Friday afternoon melee. He is charged with assault on a police officer, making a terrorism threat, and other counts.

Another felony case was lodged against 19-year-old Gramercy Park resident Saeed Almonte, who was seen jumping up and down on a taxi trying to make his way through the area, said police.

Queens resident Angel John, 19, was accused of assault for punching a police officer in the head, and an unnamed 15-year-old boy who threw eggs and full bottles of water was charged with attempted assault, obstructing governmental administration, and other counts, police said.

The suspects charged with felony assault were arrested and sent to Manhattan Criminal Court for arraignment, police said. The others, including Cenat, were freed directly from police custody without an immediate court appearance.

An additional 30 adults and 31 juveniles were also taken into custody during the pandemonium on disorderly conduct charges. They were given summonses and sent home, said an NYPD spokesman said.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mayor Adams said ineffective parenting may have been the root cause of the chaos Friday in the crowd that mainly consisted of teenagers.