Observations from the Kai Cenat Union Square Riots | by Michael Benedict | Aug, 2023

On Friday, 04 August 2023, Twitch, YouTube, and Rap star Kai Cenat urged his millions of followers to come to Union Square Park in Manhattan for a PS5 (Play Station) video game “giveaway” (NYC did not authorize this event). According to Variety, Cenat has about 6.5 million followers on Twitch, 4 million subscribers on his main YouTube channel; and 3.65 million on his YouTube live channel. With that level of social media influence, it didn’t take much for over 6,000 fans to show up at the park. When Kai Cenat arrived, chaos quickly ensued as supporters ran toward Cenat’s Cadillac Escalade. Crowds filled the streets, and then rioters started looting one of the construction sites at the park, throwing bottles, paint, and lumber at other fans and the assembling police officers.

The New York City Police Department quickly realized the situation was getting out of control and called for a ‘Level 4’ mobilization. When a Level 4 mobilization is declared, a substantial number of NYPD personnel, resources, and specialized units are deployed to handle the situation effectively. This level of response is rare and usually only occurs when the condition is severe.

The police tried to disperse the crowd, but the rioters ignored the police’s request, continuing to pelt the officers with debris, destroying at least two parked vehicles, and climbing on top of a recently-renovated subway shed entrance. The police eventually dispersed the crowd, but several fans and police were injured, 66 arrests were made, and Union Square was a mess.

In a New York Post article, Mayor Eric Adams blamed the rioter’s parents, stating, “This is something we should all be alarmed about,” and didn’t see Cenat as the real problem. This is not a policing issue, [it] is a parenting issue. And we need to be clear on that. Police are the response after an incident happened.”

Parents do hold responsibility — several witnesses referred to the gatherers as unaccompanied “young teens” — this, however, does not excuse the teen’s responsibility for their actions. The event raises a couple of questions: what did the fans find so appealing about attending this event (beyond the promise of being gifted a PS5), and why did most feel no sense of responsibility towards the police, private/public property, or the impact of their actions/inactions on bystanders and the city’s reputation?

The Event’s Appeal

Ask any teenager if they would like a free PS5, and the answer will likely be affirmative. If one adds that a famous influencer will give away the PS5, the excitement and anticipation grow exponentially. Yet something is disturbing about both situations, especially the latter.

According to Statista, the average time 13–18-year-olds spend playing video games is 55 minutes daily, or 27.5 hours a month. This is in addition to the average time spent on TV (4.7 hours a day, according to CreditDonkey), or 141 hours a month, and time on social media (2.27 hours, according to Broadband Search), or 73.5 hours a month. Whether the cumulative effect of all these media is positive or negative (I’ll leave that up to the experts to decide), the unmistakable fact is that we are a highly distracted society.

And we have every incentive to stay distracted, as the Vanquish Media Group details, “When we see likes, comments, or shares on our posts, our brains release dopamine, which gives us a sense of satisfaction. Similarly, when we view content that makes us laugh or feel good, our brains release endorphins, which lead to feelings of pleasure. And when we interact with others online, our brains release oxytocin, known as the “cuddle hormone,” because it promotes bonding and closeness. The gathering in Union Square provided the opportunity to benefit from all the above — a significant dopamine, endorphin, and oxytocin rush — plus the incentive to meet Kai Cenat. His fans are enthusiastic, intensely loyal, and deeply connected to the Kai Cenat “brand.” But at what cost?

One of the most terrifying images on the local news was Kai Cenat’s fans hanging onto his Cadillac Escalade. Approximately ten fans held onto the vehicle as it sped away from the mayhem, with one person falling off (it is unknown if that person was injured). The nearly three-ton vehicle is not lightweight, and the probability of injury, if not fatality, could have been very high.

So why did these fans hold on?

Our society puts a premium on celebrities, whether they are entertainers, sports figures, politicians, CEOs, or famous in their field or work — no matter the content of their character. We idolize them, follow them on social media, and buy their apparel, books, and other items. Inevitably, they will let us down. No matter their talent, wealth, and accomplishments, they are human. They will fall out of favor, do something they shouldn’t have, or worse — show us that everything is about them — not you, the fan. And yet, unless society guides young people to value those of good character with sustainable values, the idolization cycle will continue to the detriment of society.

Detrimental Outcomes

This event was a lost opportunity. If Kai Cenat had contacted New York City about organizing the event, police would have taken the necessary precautions of crowd control, and Kai’s fans would have had the opportunity to engage more meaningfully with him. He would have made national news in a positive light instead of what followed. Still, he alone is not to blame for the damages that came about. His fans own that.

Although no damage assessments have been released, the event did result in the following: a construction site was robbed and vandalized, paint was thrown all over the park’s concrete, debris was abundant, several cars were destroyed, roads were blocked during rush hour, stores were looted, and police and civilians alike were injured. Rioters showed no mercy towards police, who were barricading themselves from the constant pelting of bottles and building materials.

One of the attendees said, “Someone started throwing things, and that set the whole thing off.” Where are the natural restraints and considerations for others? Kai should have thought that if he called for a gathering at Union Square on a Friday afternoon, in the middle of the summer, near a major subway stop, a substantial turnout would be a logical outcome. The fans, too, should have considered their actions more conscientiously. There was no need to damage the park of private property. It accomplished nothing except defacing an otherwise beautiful area of the city. Physically attacking each other and the police is deplorable behavior. The broader impact on the city should also be considered.

NYC is densely populated. If streets are blocked, or a subway stop is suspended (which is what happened in Union Square), this results in delays in parents picking up their children from daycare, with subsequent fines. It snarls traffic leading to significant delays in getting home for the weekend.

And what about NYC’s reputation? This event made global news — at the height of the tourist season. According to a May 2023 Investopedia article, tourism accounted for $47.4B of NYC’s economy in 2019. Since the pandemic, visitors and spending are getting closer to pre-pandemic levels. Riots do not facilitate tourism.

In a Variety article on Saturday, 05 August, Cenat’s PR team AMP (Any Means Possible) released a statement: “We are deeply disheartened by the outbreak of disorderly conduct that affected innocent people and businesses, and do not condone that behavior,” the information on behalf of AMP said. “We apologize to all of those impacted. We are fully cooperating with local authorities.” Standard PR stuff that not one attendee will read.

A direct apology and condemnation from Cenat would have had a much more significant impact. He had the opportunity to call out those who intentionally injured others and damaged property. With millions of passionate fans, he could have turned this negative situation into a positive one by reprimanding his followers and reminding them they were obliged to respect and listen to the police. That would have set a moral tone and caused fans to reflect.

As for the fans? They should take this opportunity to assess what happened. How did you contribute to the chaos? Did you attempt to stop others? Why are you expending so much emotional energy on a celebrity? There are more meaningful and productive ways to go about life. Once met in person, celebrities rarely live up to their hype — like most humans.