public disorder
Chaos in streets
Public disorder is conduct that disturbs the peace or threatens public safety—riots, violent protests, looting, or other collective disturbances.
The term appears in legal contexts and news coverage: Police were deployed to contain the public disorder.
It can describe a single incident or a broader breakdown of civil order: The city experienced three nights of public disorder following the verdict.
- arsonCriminal deliberate burning
- vandalismWillful property damage
- broken windowsDamaged transparent barriers
- lootingTheft during disorder
- riotsViolent public disturbances
policing · mob violence · angry mob · crowd control · civil unrest · kettling · racial tension · protests · riot police · water cannons · civil disobedience · breach of peace · curfews · state of emergency · economic loss · affray · flashpoint · emergency declarations
- civil unrestriot, riots, rioting, mob, uprising
- misdemeanorsmisdemeanor, petty theft, disorderly conduct, petty larceny, shoplifting
- public disturbancesriot, disorderly conduct, brawl, disturbing the peace, breach of peace
- public offensesriot, affray, disorderly conduct, breach of peace, unlawful assembly
- public disorderriot, rioting, affray, breach of peace, disturbing the peace
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
public disorderpublic order
Societal calm and lawfulness
civil order · peace · tranquility · calm · stability
public disorderpeaceful assembly
Nonviolent group protest
peaceful protest · silent vigil · candlelight vigil · peaceful march · civil discourse