Civil disorder

Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, civil strife, or turmoil, is a public disturbance involving violent acts by an assemblage of persons, which causes an immediate danger or results in damage to property or injury to persons. Civil disorder includes acts of civil disobedience. Disorder may occur when the general populace or some sector of it is aroused in the cause of effecting change or reform of government policy, or amelioration of what is perceived as a social ill or inequality. Law enforcement and security forces are often called on to maintain public order, tranquility or normality.

Civil disorder includes protests and demonstrations, acts of civil disobedience, and blockades of roads and occupations of buildings. Acts of civil disorder may begin and end peacefully; they may start out peacefully and become violent, sometimes in response to actions taken by law enforcement forces or lack of attention by government officials. In cases such as some riots, they may be violent at their inception.

They may be targeted at garnering attention form the public to draw them onside in a dispute. They may be done in hopes of ratchetting up the level of public fear or uncertainty and disruption of normal life, thus making the status quo untenable or unattractive. They may be unplanned and arise on the spur of the moment and act as a release of pent-up emotion; they may be planned in advance with careful consideration of tactics and the goal in mind.