New York: Street violence during an unauthorised event announced on social media
Street violence in New York after an influencer gathered over two thousand people to donate consoles. At one point the event escalated into clashes on the streets of the metropolis south of Manhattan. The organiser's intention was to hand out PlayStation 5 consoles to his fans. About this he announced on Instagram, and fans swarmed in in impressively large numbers.
"Yes, there was supposed to be a meet and greet and giveaways, but as soon as he showed up, everyone went crazy, as you can see now. That's basically what happened.";
"I'm here with my kids. I came out for the influencers who were here. I'm a parent and they're minors. I'm making sure they're safe. This is not a safe event. I would have preferred the event to be sanctioned so our citizens would be safer."
But then chaos broke out and more than a thousand police were mobilised to quell it, according to Sky News. Some of those present climbed onto vehicles, threw objects and threw punches all over the place. People were also filmed running through the streets, getting into a moving car and punching the side of a city bus. Several people were injured, including a police officer who broke his arm. Four people were taken to hospital. More than 60 participants in the event were arrested and the influencer faces prosecution for inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.
