2006 Ohio Revised Code - 2917.03. Riot.
(A) No person shall participate with four or more others in a course of disorderly conduct in violation of section 2917.11 of the Revised Code:
(1) With purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of a misdemeanor, other than disorderly conduct;
(2) With purpose to intimidate a public official or employee into taking or refraining from official action, or with purpose to hinder, impede, or obstruct a function of government;
(3) With purpose to hinder, impede, or obstruct the orderly process of administration or instruction at an educational institution, or to interfere with or disrupt lawful activities carried on at such institution.
(B) No person shall participate with four or more others with purpose to do an act with unlawful force or violence, even though such act might otherwise be lawful.
(C) Whoever violates this section is guilty of riot, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
HISTORY: 134 v H 511. Eff 1-1-74.
Not analogous to former RC § 2917.03 (RS § 6899; S&C 431, 432; 29 v 144; 95 v 300; GC § 12825; Bureau of Code Revision, 10-1-53), repealed 134 v H 511, § 2, eff 1-1-74.
19xx Committee Report or Comment.
1974 Committee Comment to H 511
This section complements the section on aggravated riot, by defining an offense of riot committed with less serious motives than the aggravated offense. In some respects, an offense under this section is a lesser included offense to aggravated riot.
The section includes specific prohibitions against mob action to commit a misdemeanor, or as a strong-arm tactic to force or prevent official action or interdict a governmental function, or to disrupt a public or private educational institution or lawful activities being carried on at such institution. In addition, the section prohibits five or more persons from doing an otherwise lawful act with excessive force, which is somewhat analogous to one species of riot at common law. Unlike the common law, however, this section does not require that the lawful act be done with unlawful violence "to the terror of the people."
Riot is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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