Legal Definitions - civil commotion

Definition: Civil commotion is a situation where a large group of people come together and cause harm to people or property. It is a public uprising that usually involves more people than a riot.

Examples:

• Protests that turn violent and result in damage to buildings and vehicles
• A mob attacking a store during a blackout
• A group of people looting and vandalizing a neighborhood after a controversial court ruling

These examples illustrate civil commotion because they all involve a large group of people causing harm to people or property. In each case, the situation escalated beyond a peaceful protest or demonstration and resulted in violence and destruction.