Riot

A riot is a specific form of civil disorder. It occurs when a group of people commits public violence. This violence is often directed at government authorities or private property.

Targets can vary based on the goals of the people involved. They might include shops, cars, restaurants, or religious buildings. Some rioters target state-owned institutions or symbols of specific social groups. While people may try to lead these gatherings, riots are usually disorganized. They often exhibit chaotic patterns often described as herd behavior. However, some evidence suggests rioters actually follow inverted social norms rather than acting purely irrationally.

Many different factors can trigger a riot. People often react to a specific grievance or a sense of dissent. Poverty, unemployment, and poor living conditions are common causes. Other triggers include government oppression, high taxation, or forced military service, known as conscription. Some riots stem from conflicts between different ethnic groups or religious groups.

In these cases, the violence is often directed at people or property belonging to a specific religion or race. There are also sports riots, which are sparked by the results of athletic competitions. In the United States, sports are the most frequent cause of riots. These usually occur in the city of the winning team during championship games.

Riots can be classified into several distinct types. A food riot happens when people face shortages of staple goods. This might be caused by harvest failures, pests like locusts, or poor food storage. Desperate people may loot shops or farms for items like bread, grain, or salt.

A political riot develops out of political protests or specific political goals. A prison riot is a temporary act of defiance by prisoners. These are often used to express a grievance or to attempt an escape. There is also a term called a police riot. This describes the unlawful or disproportionate use of force by police against civilians. This can include provoking civilians into becoming violent.

History provides many examples of these events. In 1709, keelmen on the Tyne rioted due to rising food prices. In 1727, tin miners in Falmouth plundered granaries.

In 1977, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the Egyptian Bread Riots. These were caused by rising prices after food subsidies stopped. The term "race riot" became common in the United States during the 1890s. These often involved majority groups acting against other perceived races.

Even specific labor disputes can lead to violence, such as the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike in 1934.

The impact of riots can be measured in both human and economic terms. The damage is often immediate and very large. During the 1992 Los Angeles riots, 63 people were killed. More than 12,000 people were arrested during that event. Over 700 businesses were burned, and property damage exceeded $1 billion.

In 2005, riots in France lasted for over three weeks. They spread to nearly 300 towns across the country. By the end, over 10,000 vehicles were destroyed and 300 buildings were burned. These events show the massive scale of destruction possible during civil disorder.

Law enforcement agencies use specific tactics to control these situations. Many police forces have dedicated divisions for public order. Examples include the Territorial Support Group in London or the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité in France.

Officers often wear body armor and use shields. They may use water cannons, pepper spray, or tear gas. They also use less-than-lethal weapons like rubber bullets or flexible baton rounds. While intended to be non-lethal, these tools can cause serious harm. For instance, rubber bullets caused seventeen deaths in Northern Ireland between 1970 and 2005.

Different countries have unique laws regarding riots. In India, rioting is an offense under the Indian Penal Code. In Israel, a violent riot is defined as a disturbance involving three or more people. This includes activities like stone throwing or burning tires. In England and Wales, the Public Order Act 1986 defines a riot. Under this law, a single person can be liable if twelve or more people are using unlawful violence. In Scotland, the law recognizes offenses known as "mobbing" or "mobbing and rioting." These legal frameworks help governments manage the risks associated with large-scale civil disorder.