Fact Check: No truth to Muslim refugee link in New York PlayStation 5 giveaway chaos

By Vikas Bhadauria: A video has surfaced depicting a scene of chaos and unrest at an undisclosed location. Those sharing it claimed that the turmoil was instigated by Muslim refugees, fuelling allegations of terror and rioting. The video shows individuals dressed in police uniforms seeking refuge behind a large plastic board or sheet while a barrage of projectiles, including bottles and other objects, were hurled at them.

A Twitter user sharing the viral video wrote, "US. Now the terror of refugee Muslims continues in New York as well." An archived version of the tweet can be seen here.

India Today found that the viral video shows the chaos that ensued during a giveaway event hosted by Twitch streamer Kai Cenat in Manhattan when a huge crowd poured in hoping to receive promised PS5 gaming consoles. There was no involvement of Muslim refugees in causing the unrest.

Our Probe

Upon conducting a keyword search of recent unrest in New York, we came across a deluge of reports from various sources about chaos and riots that broke out on August 4. Kai Cenat, a celebrity Twitch streamer, promised to give away free PlayStation 5 devices at Union Square Park. About 2,000 people gathered in anticipation of the giveaway.

Cenat promoted the giveaway on social media and people began to arrive at the park early in the morning. As the day went on, the crowd became increasingly restless, and some people began throwing objects at police officers. Police eventually declared the event an unlawful assembly and began to disperse the crowd. Cenat has not been charged with any crimes, but police said he could face charges of inciting a riot.

Taking this cue, we carried out a thorough search on social media platforms and found the exact video shot from the same frame of Kai Cenat's giveaway event. One Instagram user shared the viral video while describing it as "Mayhem during Twitch streamer Kai Cenat giveaway in Union Square."

We came across similar posts on Twitter linking the viral video with Cenat's event.

Moreover, we came across another video where police officials could be seen shielding themselves with a similar sheet as the one seen in the viral clip.

Carrying with our search further, we also came across similar footage showing people climbing an entrance to the Union Square subway station, in Manhattan, during the incident, as could be seen in the viral video.

Thus, it’s evident that a video of recent unrest in New York during a giveaway event was misleadingly shared as a riot caused by Muslim refugees.