Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102

§2102 Definitions

Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 102 — RIOTS › § 2102

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines "riot" as a public disturbance with three or more people where either violent acts happen that cause or pose an obvious and immediate risk of harm to people or property, or threats are made by people who can carry them out right away and those threats would create the same obvious and immediate risk. Defines "to incite a riot" (and similar phrases) to include urging or starting others to riot, but not simple speech or writing that expresses ideas or beliefs without calling for violence or claiming a right to commit violent acts.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §2102

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)As used in this chapter, the term “riot” means a public disturbance involving (1) an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three or more persons, which act or acts shall constitute a clear and present danger of, or shall result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual or (2) a threat or threats of the commission of an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three or more persons having, individually or collectively, the ability of immediate execution of such threat or threats, where the performance of the threatened act or acts of violence would constitute a clear and present danger of, or would result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual.

(b)As used in this chapter, the term “to incite a riot”, or “to organize, promote, encourage, participate in, or carry on a riot”, includes, but is not limited to, urging or instigating other persons to riot, but shall not be deemed to mean the mere oral or written (1) advocacy of ideas or (2) expression of belief, not involving advocacy of any act or acts of violence or assertion of the rightness of, or the right to commit, any such act or acts.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 2102

Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102