breach of peace
Disruptive public conduct
A breach of peace is conduct that disturbs public order or tranquility—fighting, threatening violence, or creating a disturbance likely to provoke others.
The phrase appears primarily in legal contexts: He was arrested for breach of peace after the altercation.
What constitutes a breach varies by jurisdiction, ranging from loud arguments to physical confrontations.
- disorderly conductCriminal public disturbance charge
- affrayPublic brawl, legally defined
- street fightOutdoor physical altercation
- vandalismWillful property damage
- public nuisanceOffense harming the community
drunk and disorderly · riot · unlawful assembly · disturbance · civil unrest · public disorder · disruption · assault · public intoxication · conflict · intimidation · provocation · de-escalation · aggression · altercation · trespassing · commotion · community policing
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- public disturbancesriot, disorderly conduct, brawl, affray, melee
- public offensesriot, affray, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, unlawful assembly
- public orderriot, public order, disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly, public nuisance
- public disorderriot, rioting, affray, public disorder, disorderly conduct
- historical crimestreason, heresy, blasphemy, witchcraft, piracy
breach of peacepeace
Freedom from disturbance
tranquility · public order · quiet · civil order · calm
breach of peacekeeping the peace
Maintaining order and calm
good behavior · compliance · lawfulness · legal compliance · peacekeeping
peace, peaceful, breach, peacefully, peacefulness, peacemaker, breached, peacetime, breaches