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Civil disorder, also known as civil unrest, is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of people. Civil disturbance is typically a symptom of, and a form of protest against, major socio-political problems; the severity of the action coincides with public expression(s) of displeasure. Examples of civil disorder include, but are not necessarily limited to: illegal parade
Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float or sometimes large balloons....
s; sit-ins and other forms of obstructions; riot
Riot

A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized by disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence, vandalism or other crime....
s; sabotage
Sabotage

Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy, oppressor or employer through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction....
; and other forms of crime.






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Civil disorder, also known as civil unrest, is a broad term that is typically used by law enforcement to describe one or more forms of disturbance caused by a group of people. Civil disturbance is typically a symptom of, and a form of protest against, major socio-political problems; the severity of the action coincides with public expression(s) of displeasure. Examples of civil disorder include, but are not necessarily limited to: illegal parade
Parade

A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float or sometimes large balloons....
s; sit-ins and other forms of obstructions; riot
Riot

A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized by disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence, vandalism or other crime....
s; sabotage
Sabotage

Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy, oppressor or employer through subversion, obstruction, disruption, and/or destruction....
; and other forms of crime. It is intended to be a demonstration
Demonstration (people)

A demonstration is a form of nonviolent action by groups of people in favor of a political or other cause, normally consisting of walking in a march and a meeting to hear speakers....
 to the public and the government, but can escalate into general chaos.

Frequently, participants in a civil disorder are not in agreement about appropriate behavior. As was the case in the WTO Meeting of 1999
WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity

Protest activity surrounding the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, which was to be the launch of a new millennial round of trade negotiations, occurred on November 30, 1999 , when the World Trade Organization convened at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, United States....
, most protesters were peaceful, and a small, highly visible minority were responsible for most of the damage. Any civil disorder is a delicate balance of power, and indeed, a political power struggle of some sort is typically the root cause of any such conflict. Often, public demonstrations are viewed as the last resort of political organizations. If the power equation in a civil disorder becomes unbalanced, the result is either oppression
Oppression

Oppression is the use of social power to disempower, marginalize, silence or otherwise subordinate one social group or category, often in order to further empower and/or privilege the oppressor....
 or riot
Riot

A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized by disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence, vandalism or other crime....
.

Citizens not directly involved in a civil disorder may have their lives significantly disrupted. Their ability to work, enjoy recreation and in some cases, obtain necessities may be jeopardized. Disruption of intrastructure may occur during very severe events. Public utilities such as water, fuel and electricity may be temporarily unavailable, as well as public infrastructure for communication. Occasionally, the disruption of such services may be the original cause of the disorder. More frequently, the cause of such issues is related to economic stagnation, severe inflation, devaluation of currency, disasters man made or natural, severe unemployment, oppression, political scandal, or, in some countries, sporting events. Civil disorder can occur in any country and environment. Switzerland, a country known for its neutrality has suffered from much civil unrest in the weeks prior to its October 2007 elections. There were many reports of injuries and destruction and criminal charges are still pending.

See also

  • Civil disobedience
    Civil disobedience

    Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power , without resorting to physical violence....
  • Direct action
    Direct action

    Direct action is politically motivated activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political goals outside of normal social/political channels....
  • Insurgency
    Insurgency

    An insurgency is a rebellion against a constituted authority when those taking part in the rebellion are not recognised as belligerents. Not all rebellions are insurgencies, because a state of belligerency may exist between one or more sovereign states and rebel forces....
  • List of riots
    List of riots

    This is a chronological list of riots:...
  • Rebellion
    Rebellion

    Rebellion is a refusal of obedience. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors from civil disobedience and mass nonviolent resistance, to violent and organized attempts to destroy an established authority such as the government....
  • Revolution
    Revolution

    A revolution is a fundamental social change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time....
  • State of emergency
    State of emergency

    A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of government, alert citizens to alter their normal behaviors, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans....