Union Squaring Up: Unsanctioned gaming console giveaway devolves into chaos

By TANDY LAU

Amsterdam News Staff, Report for America Corps Member

An internet celebrity’s video game giveaway turned Manhattan’s Union Square into real-life Super Smash Bros as thousands broke into a riot last Friday, Aug. 4. Kai Cenat—who holds the record for most simultaneous subscriptions on video game streaming platform Twitch—was arrested and charged for first-degree rioting after allegedly organizing the viral event without a permit, said police.

“The park and streets were overrun by people,” said NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey. “It was disrupting both vehicular and pedestrian traffic … The crowd was swarmed when the influencer finally arrived [at] the park. Individuals at the park began to commit acts of violence towards the police and public.”

Items from a nearby construction site—like paint cans, rocks and shovels—were introduced into the melee and fireworks were set off during the mayhem. The NYPD says several officers sustained injuries. A cop was injured from construction barrels tossed at him.

The NYPD counts 66 initial arrests, said a department spokesperson. But police continue to seek suspects.

Cenat, a Bronx-born Black New Yorker, announced his giveaway over a Wednesday Twitch stream. He promised PS5 consoles—which roughly retail between $400-450 and were largely sold out for the past three years— along with gift cards and other video game devices for those who showed up at Union Square.

Dr. Keith Taylor—a former NYPD officer who now teaches at John Jay College—said pop-up events pose a particular challenge. Usual processes of obtaining permits and insurance allow police to prepare for public safety risks and deploy personnel. He added that the NYPD does monitor social media and believes newer forms of online fame should not be downplayed.

“Today’s world your popularity [and] the money you make is determined

See GIVEAWAY on page 35

‘The Beat, the Scene, the Sound’ in Coney Island

DJ Ray Vazquez’s Justus Worldwide Music will hold one of its famed “Groove Sessions” on Coney Island’s West 8 Street Boardwalk this Saturday, Aug. 12, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event will also feature a book signing for DJ Disciple’s new book, “The Beat, The Scene, The Sound: A DJ’s Journey Through the Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of House Music.”

“My book is a compelling read for anyone who wishes to learn about the impacts of biased (often bigoted) city policy, and the efforts taken to survive in the face of it,” DJ Disciple told the AmNews. “It’s not just historical in nature but also shines a light on the socio-political atmosphere around the emerging electronic dance movement, as well as the cultural significance of it as an art form of expression in both music and dance. Henry Kronk and I make the case that house music is a seriously overlooked chapter in American music history. It also looks at New York dance music from the ’80s and ’90s through a lens of social justice––taking in the crack-cocaine epidemic, broken-windows policing, the revival of cabaret laws, and the form of leadership exemplified by Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who shut down much of the club scene whilst in office. New York house music, to a lesser degree, has been written about before but without exploring the connection between the two. Our book traces a line between those policies and the effects they had on the New York house community.”

Rakim + Rapsody & Special Guests

Lincoln Center Presents will feature “Rakim + Rapsody & Special Guests” as part of its Summer for the City Hip-Hop Week. This free event takes place on Saturday, Aug. 12, at 8 p.m. in Damrosch Park (Amsterdam Ave. and West 62nd Street in Manhattan’s Lincoln Square).

“As part of Lincoln Center’s series of shows honoring Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary, The God MC headlines the big stage at Damrosch Park for a concert of classic cuts, supported by a select roster of special guests, including Rapsody,” the Lincoln Center website announced. “The Jamla/Roc Nation artist has spent the better part of the present decade lapping peers and counterparts while mesmerizing fans who still prefer their rhymes detailed and nutritious. One-of-a-kind BedStuy native Mr. Life of Your Party fka DJ FLY TY gets the party started as opening act, and extends the night leading a Silent Disco at 10 p.m. Don’t miss this once-in-a-generation celebration of an eternal exemplar of New York’s Hip-Hop excellence!

“If you have any questions about this event, contact Guest Experience at 212-875-5456 or guestexperience@lincolncenter.org.”

Free legal services for older NYers

Older adults in New York City are eligible for free legal services. The Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) contracts with four