There was a massive stampede in a park in Manhattan: the crowd wanted to receive gifts from a blogger

A crowd of thousands gathered on August 4 in Manhattan's Union Square for Kai Senate's publicized giveaway. The event quickly spiraled out of control, with the crowd climbing onto cars, throwing chairs and throwing punches, even injuring police as officers tried to curb the chaos. The edition told in more detail ABC7NY.

At the height of the riots, screaming teenagers threw objects at car windows, threw paint cans, and set off fire extinguishers. Some, having climbed onto moving vehicles, fell from them at speed. Others simply knocked on city buses or climbed on them.

Law enforcement officers made 65 arrests, including 30 minors.

The NYPD said Twitch streamer Kai Senate has been charged with 3 charges, including rioting in the first degree, bodily harm and damage, which is a felony. He faces 2 charges of inciting to riot and unlawful assembly.

On the subject: I wanted subscribers, but got arrested: the blogger was detained for a prank in Times Square

Around 17:00, the blogger was taken into custody for questioning. He did not have permission for this event, and he did not coordinate it with the police. The Senate had no previous arrests, and he was released from custody after issuing a protocol of appearance in court on charges.

Injured

The event was "unauthorized and unauthorized" and quickly grew to several thousand youths who, according to NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey, attacked the officers instead of following orders to disperse peacefully. The boss begged the parents to intervene.

“There were thousands of kids, I needed thousands of parents,” Maddry said. “When it comes to mess, we want the parents to come in and take control.”

Three officers were injured during the pogrom, two were taken to the nearest hospital. One sergeant broke his arm and four civilians were injured.

According to Maddry, the 17-year-old was hospitalized after a firework injury was initially mistaken for a gunshot wound.

“People suffered massively here,” said Maddry, who saw people bleeding, suffering from asthma and panic attacks. Some motorists were trapped when people climbed onto the roofs of their cars.

How it all began and developed

Young people flocked to Union Square after the Senate posted ads for the 16 p.m. prank on its website and Instagram account.

People in the park began to line up as early as 13:30. By 15:00 pm, the crowd had grown to several thousand and was becoming uncontrollable. Some of the young people leaving the park said they came in hopes of getting a live streaming computer or a new PlayStation.

Shortly before 17:00 pm, the police took control of the crowd and many of those gathered began to disperse.

NYPD sources said they do not want to arrest people and do not want the situation to escalate further.

“A lot of people came. It was out of control. It took us a while to get the situation under control, and many young people were affected,” Maddry said.

To get the better of the crowd, the NYPD flooded the stage and pushed the crowd back, making sure no one returned to Union Square.

First arriving on the scene, Eyewitness News reporter Shannon Son said she saw a group of police officers holding pieces of plywood and taking cover behind cars that were stuck on 14th Street due to the crowd.

There was construction work going on near the 14th Street subway station, so people in the crowd grabbed and threw cans of paint and other things.

“People broke into the park and started throwing things that belonged to the construction site,” Maddry said. “Paint cans, bottles, stones. People with shovels and axes were walking around us.”

Several people climbed to the top of the gazebo that closed the subway, as well as to the statue of George Washington.

19-year-old Skylark Jones and his friend came to the Senate and tried to get something from his prank.

By the time they arrived, the stage was already packed, with bottles flying in the air. According to them, the excitement happened even before the appearance of the Senate.

“It was like a movie,” Jones said. “The police came with shields, rushing at the people.”

At the height of the chaos, subway trains bypassed the Union Square station.

Several drivers were stuck in their cars as the crowd surrounded them, and 14th Street was closed off because the police set up a barricade of officers.

The Uber driver got into the thick of things. He says the police dragged him to safety through the passenger side of the car.

“They said to drop everything and get the hell out of here, otherwise someone will be killed here today,” Uber driver Dinesh Sharma relayed their words.

I came, I saw, I left

The huge number of people and their desire to at least see the Senate and a group of people with him created a dangerous situation, masses of people moved and pushed.

A woman who arrived in Union Square on the subway with her young daughter to do some chores confirmed that it was "really disturbing." She waited huddled in the lobby of the ATM.

“I think it was just overblown by the people who came here. I understand that you are a fan of Kai Senate, but it's one thing to just come and try to support him, and quite another to come and make a mess, ”she said.

During a live stream on Twitch from a car as the event was gaining momentum, the Senate showed off the gift cards they planned to give away. Noting the crowd and the presence of the police, he urged: “Everyone out there, make sure you are all safe. We won't do anything until it's safe."

Finally, he and his entourage got out of the car and pushed through the excited crowd, crossed the street and entered the park, where the Senate was in the center of the crowd.

According to Maddrey, at some point the Senate was removed "for his safety" and the police contacted him.

The SUV believed to have carried the Senate left the scene on 17th Street with about a dozen people hanging from the side and clinging to the roof of the vehicle.

Some fell when the car moved.

"It was scary"

Shortly thereafter, the 14th Street bus became the focus of much of the crowd, and some people climbed onto the bus. They believed the Senate was inside.

"We've seen situations like this before, but they've never reached this level of danger," Maddrey said.

Police officers were seen taking some people into custody near the bus, and video later showed people inside the bus, apparently in handcuffs.

As the police set up the barricade, hundreds of people fled the scene down Broadway.

From the loudspeaker came orders from the NYPD to disperse to everyone, otherwise the disobedient would be arrested.

Businesses adjacent to the square closed their doors. Karina Treile, the manager of Petite Optique, a nearby eyewear store, hid inside while police dispersed the crowd.

“Usually when people give away free stuff, it never happens. It’s always very organized,” she remarked. “It’s just a chaotic scene here.”

The loud bangs at one point frightened some in the crowd.

“It was scary, especially when people were running,” Trail said.

The police used metal barricades to push back the crowd and loudspeakers to repeatedly declare the gathering illegal.

“Look, we don’t mind young people having a good time, we don’t mind young people gathering,” Maddry assured. “But it can't be to the point where it's dangerous. A lot of people got hurt today."