Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat Faces Incitement to Riot Charges Following New York City Disturbance

Twitch streamer Kai Cenat managed to avoid a night in jail after being hit with a trio of criminal charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a tumultuous incident during his PlayStation giveaway event in NYC.

Kai was issued a desk appearance ticket for felony riot, along with misdemeanor charges for inciting a riot and unlawful assembly. He was subsequently released from a Manhattan police precinct on Friday night.

In a video clip, Kai was seen swiftly leaving the stationhouse with his security team and quickly boarding an SUV that sped away. The desk appearance ticket, commonly referred to as DAT, spared Kai from the conventional criminal justice process, bypassing a night in the Central Booking jail. Instead, he was given a scheduled court date to address the charges before a judge.

As previously reported, Kai had announced on his Twitch channel his intention to distribute PlayStation 5 consoles and gift cards in Union Square at 4 PM on a Friday. The event drew a massive crowd, resulting in chaotic scenes in the streets. The exact trigger for the turmoil remains unclear. The unruly gathering led to acts of violence, including attacks on individuals, destruction of police cars, damage to food carts and stores, as well as the hurling of bottles and rocks.

The NYPD promptly intervened, spending three hours quelling the unrest and eventually restoring order. Among the 65 attendees taken into police custody, Kai was one. Several officers and civilians sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the events