Crowd overwhelms New York City’s Union Square, tosses chairs, climbs on vehicles

NEW YORK — Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an internet personality's supposed videogame console giveaway that got out of hand.

Aerial TV news footage Friday showed a surging, tightly packed crowd climbing on vehicles, hurling chairs, throwing punches and scaling structures in the park.

Traffic was blocked by the crowd on several streets. A growing number of police officers could be seen trying to control the gathering. Some people climbed on top of a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on the side of a city bus. People could be seen climbing on top of another bus and jumping up and down.

The NYPD didn't immediately have information on injuries or arrests. Numerous people could be seen in hand restraints, sitting on the sidewalks. Police were forming lines in the street, trying to direct the crowd, which periodically broke out in a run.

On his Instagram feed, the streamer known as Kai Cenat, who has millions of social media followers, had an image promoting a giveaway at 4 p.m. Friday in the park. Some young people leaving the park said they had come expecting a giveaway of a computer for livestreaming and a new PlayStation.

Sourse: abcnews.go.com

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