The mayhem sparked by a social media celebrity’s game console giveaway put the New York Police Department to the test.

The New York Police Department’s entertainment unit noticed around 12:30 p.m. Friday that Kai Cenat, a social-media streamer with over six million followers, had said he would be in Manhattan’s Union Square that day, ready to give away free PlayStation 5 consoles and other prizes to fans who showed up.

A few officers and supervisors from the local precinct were dispatched. By 1:30 p.m., Union Square had about 300 fans.

“Not a big crowd,” remarked Jeffrey Maddrey, the department’s chief, at a news conference on Friday. “This is what we’d expect from a social media event like this.”

The crowd grew larger. Fast.

Soon, over 6,000 people gathered in Union Square. Fans of Mr. Cenat raced in and out of traffic, climbing on the hoods of taxis and other vehicles. Others scaled lampposts and traffic signs, tipped over trash cans, and hurled things at police officers. Several people let off firecrackers, sending crowds fleeing. The crowd overflowed onto Broadway, Park Avenue, and other nearby streets to the north, south, west, and east.

By the end of the afternoon, at least 66 persons had been arrested, roughly half of them juveniles. Mr. Cenat was accused of instigating a riot, among other things, after attempting to flee the massive crowd in a black SUV. The throng had gone by 6 p.m., but concerns remain about how it grew so large and hazardous.

Disorderly behavior, unlawful assembly, resisting arrest, inciting to riot, riot, obstruction of governmental administration, failure to disperse, and criminal possession of a weapon were among the allegations leveled against the crowd.

On Monday evening, Mr. Cenat’s Any Means Possible organization issued a statement saying that no one had anticipated the magnitude of the event and that they were “deeply disappointed by the outbreak of disorderly conduct.” But how could the chaos have been avoided?

Where did all of these people come from?
Mr. Cenat, 21, has amassed a sizable fan base thanks to his high-energy videos on YouTube and Twitch, a live streaming service where he is one of the most popular users.

He has broadcast shakily filmed clips of himself shopping in Tokyo, buying a property for his mother, and running from gigantic snakes. He often live streams himself playing video games with rappers and has uploaded a video in which he travels to dorms and asks college students if he can sleep in their rooms.

Mr. Cenat, from the Bronx, announced on Twitch on Wednesday that he would be in Union Square on Friday. He inquired as to how many fans would attend.

A flood of responses poured in: 1,000, 5,000, then 10,000. Mr. Cenat would need security and barricades, according to a buddy sitting next to him.

“All trains come here, so there’s no excuse,” Mr. Cenat explained to those onlookers. “I love you all so much, bro.”

As word spread, his supporters went to Union Square.

How should the police respond?
The majority of event organizers get city licenses in order for law officers to restrict roadways and set access points. According to Chief Maddrey, Mr. Cenat did not notify authorities or obtain a permit.

According to the officer’s Department patrol guide, when a throng surges, the officers can initiate what is known as a quick mobilization, which designates an emergency that demands immediate support.

On Friday, officials declared a level-four mobilization, the most serious. Hundreds of officers, including members of specialized groups such as the counterterrorism bureau and the strategic response group, swooped in shortly after.

Officers in tactical gear established lines to drive people out, while a loudspeaker warned the gathering to leave. “If you leave voluntarily, no charges will be filed against you,” they declared over the loudspeaker. “If you continue to refuse to leave, you will be arrested for unlawful assembly.”

According to Brian Higgins, a security and public safety expert and former chief of the Bergen County, New Jersey, police department, such a response is required.

Mr. Higgins, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, described the Friday gathering as “extremely dangerous,” risking a lethal crush.

Were the police too aggressive?

A video with over 2.2 million views on Twitter depicts an upsetting incident from Friday: As a mob escapes approaching officers, a young man in a red sweatshirt stands puzzled. Two officers seize the man and throw him into the back of the cab. When his head hits the already-broken window, it shatters fully, and he is arrested.

According to the police, the event is being investigated.

According to a representative for the Civilian Complaint Review Board, an independent agency that examines police wrongdoing, it is looking into four cases, including the arrest of the man in the sweatshirt.

Edwin Raymond, a retired lieutenant, suggested officials should reconsider their attitude. Rather than arresting Mr. Cenat right away, the police could have used him to address the audience, he added.

“The moment the NYPD removed Kai Cenat from the scene, they lost their opportunity to leverage him,” Mr. Raymond explained.

Chief Maddrey stated that officers acted responsibly when dealing with people, many of whom were juveniles, who trashed police cars, including his own. Officers used force proportionate to the crowd’s behavior, according to Chief Maddrey, who recalled being hit in the head with an object.

“We had to be very, very delicate in how we handled this,” he explained. “We just wanted the kids to comply with us and leave.” But we encountered a lot of opposition. We were assaulted.”

What are the key takeaways?
According to Mayor Eric Adams, young people are “being inundated by influencers.”

“Our children cannot be raised by social media,” he stated during a news conference in Brooklyn on Saturday. “Our children cannot obtain their values and beliefs from social media or other external entities.”

He also stated that the rally drew individuals “from outside of the city” and that authorities are “looking into where there’s some even outside agitators.”

“You don’t come here to get free Game Boys and bring smoke bombs and M80s and other disruptive items,” Mayor Adams explained.

According to Chief Maddrey, who spoke to Fox 5 New York on Monday, many parents flocked to Union Square to see if their children had been injured or jailed during the disturbance.

“We don’t want to touch your children,” he explained. “We don’t want them in jail.” We want you to be our mother and father, grandmother, and uncle. “Grab the young person and tell them to stop right now.”

Mr. Higgins blamed the incident fully on a social media personality who failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe event and boisterous followers who refused to listen to authorities.

“Disperse when you’re told to disperse,” he instructed.

Mr. Higgins advised the police not to underestimate the allure of free products. Shirts and caps aren’t a huge concern, according to Mr. Higgins. Free video game consoles?

“That’s something that should have been picked up on,” he admitted.

Has anyone gotten a PlayStation 5?
As of Monday afternoon, it remained unclear whether any of the admirers had gotten the prizes provided by Mr. Cenat.

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