Riot

Riot, unlawful rebellion against a public authority by a group of people, involving breach of the peace, destruction of property, and/or violence. Riots are defined variously around the world, and punishment differs accordingly. Riots can be spontaneous or planned. They often break out during a protest, due to the heightened emotions of demonstrators and authorities. Although the U.S. Constitution protects the right of its citizens to group together for the purposes of peaceful dissent, such gatherings are considered riots when they involve breach of peace, destruction of property, or violence.