Kai Cenat, a popular livestreamer on the American online streaming platform Twitch, will face multiple charges after a giveaway event he hosted Friday in New York City's Manhattan erupted into chaos, local police stated.

Cenat will be charged with multiple counts of inciting a riot, unlawful assembly and possibly other crimes, New York City Police Department chief Jeffrey Maddrey said at a Friday night news conference.

Cenat, who has more than 9 million followers combined on Twitch and other social media platforms, said Wednesday during a Twitch stream that he would be hosting a "huge giveaway" Friday at 4:00 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) in Manhattan's Union Square Park, which would involve video game consoles, gift cards and mobile phones, among other items.

However, the event grew out of control well before its scheduled start time, with the crowd size climbing to a "couple thousand people" and individuals beginning to "commit acts of violence towards the police and the public," said Maddrey.

People started "walking around with shovels, axes and other tools" taken from a nearby construction site, he said, adding that "individuals were also lighting fireworks, throwing them towards the police. They were throwing them towards each other."

Maddrey said a number of young people in the crowd and several police officers were injured.

The influencer himself was removed by police for "safety reasons," while 65 people, including 30 juveniles, were arrested by police, he said.

Out of hand

On his Instagram feed, Cenat had promoted a giveaway at 4 p.m. in the park. People started lining up as early as 1:30 p.m. By 3 p.m., the crowd had swelled and was getting unruly. Some young people leaving the park said they had come expecting to get a computer for livestreaming or a new PlayStation.

Skylark Jones, 19, and a friend came to see Cenat and try to get something from his giveaway. When they arrived, the scene was already packed. Bottles were being thrown. There was a commotion even before Cenat appeared, they said.

"It was a movie," Jones said. Police "came with riot shields, charging at people."

Aerial TV news footage showed a surging, tightly packed crowd running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and snarling traffic. Shouting teenagers swung objects at car windows, threw paint cans and set off fire extinguishers.

Some people climbed on a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on or climbed atop city buses.

"We have encountered things like this before but never to this level of dangerousness," Maddrey said. Three officers were hurt, including a sergeant who broke a hand. A teenager was injured by exploding fireworks, he said.

(With input from agencies)