State of Rhode Island: Emergency Management Agency
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Civil/Political Hazards
Civil unrest is the result of groups or individuals within the population feeling, rightly or wrongly, that their needs or rights are not being met, either by the society at large, a segment thereof, or the current overriding political system. When this results in community disruption of a nature where intervention is required to maintain public safety it has become a civil disturbance.
Civil disturbance spans a wide variety of actions and includes, but is not limited to: labor unrest; strikes; civil disobedience; demonstrations; riots; prison riots; or rebellion leading to revolution. Triggers could include: racial tension; religious conflict; unemployment; a decrease in normally accepted services or goods, such as extreme water, food, or gasoline rationing; or unpopular political actions such as the Vietnam War. Communal riots are types of disorders that are classified by direct battles between groups. Commodity riots are disorders that stress the economic and political distribution of power among groups.
Civil disturbances, while possible in any area where people live, typically occur today in areas of dense population. The more urbanized portions of Rhode Island have the greatest potential for racial tension, labor strife, organized demonstrations, and riots. Different disturbances will focus around different centers of the community. Labor disturbances will tend to happen at individual companies that are being struck, or during marches in support of the workers. Anti-abortion violence will happen around Planned Parenthood offices, or medical facilities that condone or perform abortions. Racial violence will tend to happen in areas with high minority populations, especially when combined with high unemployment and/or other signs of poverty or low social/economic class. Violent confrontations can happen at universities especially during periods of protest against governmental policy, university policy, or during and after sporting events.
Impacts of Civil Disorder
Civil disturbance can, in extreme cases, cause extensive social disruption, loss of jobs,
death, and property damage. These may result either from those involved in the action or
initiated by those in higher authority in response to what they perceive as a threat to
either the status quo or their own authority. In addition, the government may also curtail
certain civil liberties even to the eventual imposition of martial law.
Looting and general vandalism are the most common activities associated with civil
disturbance. Fire setting is also quite common and can quickly spread due to slow
response times of overwhelmed fire departments. Transportation routes can become
blocked making it difficult for non-rioters to leave the area and difficult for the
emergency response personnel to arrive.
Long-term effects may include a local depressed economy, environmental damage, social
disruption, and long lasting animosity between the contending groups.