A riot is a violent public disturbance by a crowd. It involves property damage, clashes with police, and sometimes injuries or deaths. Riots are not random. They usually erupt after a triggering event — a police killing, an election fraud, a food shortage — and they express underlying grievances.

Sociologists distinguish riots from other forms of collective behavior. Riots have targets, even if the targets shift. They often involve looting, arson, and confrontations with authorities. The 1992 Los Angeles riots followed the acquittal of police officers in the Rodney King beating. The 2020 riots followed the killing of George Floyd.

Common triggers

• Police violence and impunity
• Political repression or electoral fraud
• Economic crisis and inequality
• Racial or ethnic injustice
• Food shortages or resource scarcity

Riots are costly. They destroy businesses, injure people, and can set back movements for change. But they also draw attention to problems that peaceful protest has failed to address. Governments respond with repression, reform, or both.