Twitch streamer Kai Cenat has made his first public comments since a surprise giveaway in New York City turned into a full-blown riot. Cenat himself for arrested and charged with a number of things, including inciting a riot. However, in his first stream since the incident, Cenat has put all the blame on the fans. “I am beyond disappointed with anyone who became destructive that day,” Cenat declared. “That shit is not cool, I want people to know that. I don’t condone anything that went on that day. I’m seeing random videos of people getting sturdy on people’s cars and I’m asking myself, why? Why?”
“None of that was my intention. I had good intentions for this whole thing. I don’t condone any of the things that went on that day," he continued. Furthermore, he asked for people to leave his family alone, revealing that at least one person had visited his mother's house. In addition, Cenat revealed that he would be streaming less frequently and had a court date on August 16.
Cenat Takes Little Accountability For Riot
In the 19-minute stream, Cenat took little personal responsibility for the riot. While he said the incident had "opened his eyes to the power and influence" he has over his fans, he took little more responsibility than that. However, it's a weak excuse for what occurred. Cenat, the most popular streamer on Twitch, clearly doesn't view himself as a person who commands an army of millions. And so, he announced an impromptu giveaway to his viewer base of millions. It highlights the dangerous power of internet fame.
The entire debacle could have been avoided, or at least the negative effects mitigated, if Cenat had worked with city officials to plan a more structured event ahead of time. Instead, he simply told thousands of teenagers and young people to show up at an undersized location. Kai Cenat is not responsible for "inciting a riot", as he has been charged with. However, his actions showed a negligence and lack of forethought that is incredibly prevalent in young influencers. We are just a few years removed from a YouTuber trying to start their own convention with disastrous results. The consequences of Cenat's giveaway continue to be a developing story.
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