In Los Angeles, protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration raids erupted into scenes of chaos, with electric vehicles lit aflame, large clouds of tear gas and clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators.
The protests began on Friday and were largely peaceful before they escalated over the weekend, leading to over two dozen arrests and multiple reports of injuries. President Donald Trump on Saturday called in the California National Guard against the wishes of Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has accused the president of enflaming tensions to “manufacture chaos and violence.”
While most of Los Angeles was spared from the unrest, videos of the protests show people throwing rocks and other projectiles at law enforcement. Electric vehicles were lit ablaze and left to burn while graffiti was scrawled on buildings downtown. Authorities on Sunday declared the protest an unlawful assembly and moved in aggressively with flash-bangs and tear gas grenades, sending hundreds of people running from parts of downtown.
Trump has stood by his move to deploy the state’s National Guard, saying in a statement that troops were needed to stop “violent, insurrectionist mobs” and “lawless riots.” Newsom, who has vowed to sue Trump over the deployment, fought back against the president’s characterization of the protests, saying Trump “instigated violence.”
All of the back-and-forth, as well as the scenes of clashes between authorities and protesters, have fueled questions around what constitutes a riot. Experts say while there are legal definitions for a riot, the term has become increasingly politicized and encapsulates a wide variety of incidents.
Brian Higgins, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said, in most states, including California, the determination of a riot lies in whether multiple people are involved and whether they are committing acts of violence.
“One person is not a riot and neither is a group that is nonviolent,” he said. “They can even be breaking the law, like refusing to disperse. It’s when you add in the factor of violence that it becomes a riot.”
When does a protest become a riot?
In California, a riot is defined as follows: “Any use of force or violence, disturbing the public peace, or any threat to use force or violence, if accompanied by immediate power of execution, by two or more persons acting together, and without authority of law, is a riot.”
Higgins, a former police chief with decades of law enforcement experience, said while the definition is fairly black-and-white, there are gray areas, especially before and at the point of escalation.
“If you have a group of people, and more show up and eventually someone throws a rock or a can of soda – maybe you could legally say it’s a riot but that’s probably not the time to do so,” he said.
“But once the crowd gets agitated and there’s a growing threat of violence that spills out,” he said, “that’s when you have what can reasonably be called as a riot.”
Questions about escalation
Experts also said while violence is a defining factor in a riot, such violence could be incited by law enforcement.
Ralph Young, a history professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, who has written several books on dissent in the U.S., said it is often the case that overzealous law enforcement responses have escalated peaceful protests into scenes of violence and chaos.
“That’s a major question. Who provoked the violence?” he said, emphasizing that the instigating factor should be considered when deciding whether the word riot is applicable.
Apples to oranges between 1992 and now ‒ so far
Republicans have begun to draw parallels between the current unrest in Los Angeles and the Rodney King riots in 1992 – comparisons Young said are completely unfounded.
The 1992 riots, which erupted after the four police officers on trial for beating King were exonerated, stretched on for several days and led to burnt down buildings, mass looting and the deaths of over 60 people, including several shot by police.
The violent trial aftermath was among the most destructive and deadly riots in United States history. Young said the fact that the same word – riot – could be used to describe the deadly episode and much less violent incidents could lead to false equivalencies.
But while those comparisons may not be warranted now, Young said he is concerned the ongoing protests could continue to escalate.
“What if this turns into something like Rodney King and lasts for several more days or weeks?” he asked. “Hopefully it diffuses quickly.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When does a protest become a riot? Experts weigh in.
