Riot - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition riot

Definition :

Riot, a tumultuous disturbance of the peace by three persons or more assembling of their own authority, with an intent mutually to assist one another against any who shall oppose them in the execution of some enterprise of a private nature, and afterwards actually executing the same in a violent and turbulent manner to the terror of the people, whether the act intended were of itself lawful or unlawful. By 13 Car. 2, c. 5, more than ten persons coming to present a petition to the King, and by 57 Geo. 3, c. 19, more than fifty persons near Westminster when Parliament is sitting, constitute a riot. The punishment for riots not falling within the provisions of the (English) Riot Act is fine and imprisonment to which hard labour may, by 3 Geo. 4, c. 114, be superadded.

As to riots at elections, see 2 Wm., c. 45, s. 70, and 5 & 6 Wm. 4, c. 36, s. 8.

In any case of riot, or even apprehended riot, all places where intoxicating liquors are sold may be ordered to be closed by justices of the peace under s. 63 of the (English) Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, and in Scotland by the sheriff, under s. 12 of the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913 (English) (3 & 4 Geo. 5, c. 33).

The riotous demolition of buildings or machinery is felony by the Malicious Damage Act, 1861, s. 11, and see PUBLIC ORDER ACT.

An unlawful disturbance of peace by an assembly of usu. three or more persons acting with a common purpose in violent or tumultuous manner that threatens or terrorizes the public, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th Edn., p. 1327.