CHAPTER 648
Peace Disturbances
648.01   Riot.
648.02   Failure to disperse.
648.03   Justifiable use of force to suppress riot.
648.04   Disorderly conduct.
648.05   Disturbing a lawful meeting.
648.06   Misconduct at an emergency.
648.07   Inducing panic.
648.08   Making false alarms.
648.09   Minor's curfew.
648.10   Disturbing the peace.
648.11   Sound instruments on vehicles.
648.12   Inciting to violence.
648.13   Impeding public passage of an emergency service responder.
   CROSS REFERENCES
   See section histories for similar State law
   Power to regulate peace disturbances - see Ohio R.C. 715.49
   Cordoning off riot areas; prohibiting sales of firearms and explosives - see Ohio R.C. 3761.16
   Suspension of beer and liquor sales during emergency - see Ohio R.C. 4301.251
   Riot and civil disorder assistance by State Highway Patrol - see Ohio R.C. 5503.02
   “Peeling”; cracking exhaust noises - see TRAF. 432.37
   Sirens, whistles and bells on motor vehicles - see TRAF. 438.20
   Noisy mufflers - see TRAF. 438.21
   Definitions generally - see GEN. OFF. 606.01
   “Deadly force” defined - see GEN. OFF. 606.01
   “Force” defined - see GEN. OFF. 606.01
   Resisting arrest - see GEN. OFF. 608.08
   Interfering with civil rights - see GEN. OFF. 608.13
   Detention of disorderly persons - see GEN. OFF. 608.17
   Liquor sale to intoxicated person - see GEN. OFF. 612.03
   Barking or howling dogs - see GEN. OFF. 618.07
   Assault - see GEN. OFF. 636.02, 636.03
   Menacing - see GEN. OFF. 636.04 et seq.
   Desecration - see GEN. OFF. 642.05
   Arson - see GEN. OFF. 642.06
   Trespass - see GEN. OFF. 642.10, 642.11
   Pointing and discharging firearms and other weapons - see GEN. OFF. 678.09
   Fireworks - see GEN. OFF. 678.10 
648.01 RIOT.
   (a)   No person shall participate with four or more others in a course of disorderly conduct in violation of Ohio R.C. 2917.11 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance:
      (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 the institution.
   (b)   No person shall participate with four or more others with purpose to do an act with unlawful force or violence, even though the act might otherwise be lawful.
   (c)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of riot, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(ORC 2917.03)
   (d)   For the purposes of prosecuting violations of this section, the prosecution is not required to allege or prove that the offender expressly agreed with four or more others to commit any act that constitutes a violation this section prior to or while committing those acts.
(ORC 2917.031)
Statutory reference:
   Aggravated riot, felony provisions, see Ohio R.C. 2917.02
648.02 FAILURE TO DISPERSE.
   (a)   Where five or more persons are participating in a course of disorderly conduct in violation of Ohio R.C. 2917.11 or a substantially equivalent municipal ordinance, and there are other persons in the vicinity whose presence creates the likelihood of physical harm to persons or property or of serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, a law enforcement officer or other public official may order the participants and the other persons to disperse. No person shall knowingly fail to obey the order.
   (b)   Nothing in this section requires persons to disperse who are peaceably assembled for a lawful purpose.
   (c)   (1)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to disperse.
      (2)   Except as otherwise provided in division (c)(3) of this section, failure to disperse is a minor misdemeanor.
      (3)   Failure to disperse is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree if the failure to obey the order described in division (a) of this section creates the likelihood of physical harm to persons or is committed at the scene of a fire, accident, disaster, riot, or emergency of any kind.
(ORC 2917.04)
648.03 JUSTIFIABLE USE OF FORCE TO SUPPRESS RIOT.
   A law enforcement officer or firefighter engaged in suppressing a riot or in protecting persons or property during a riot:
   (a)   Is justified in using force, other than deadly force, when and to the extent he or she has probable cause to believe such force is necessary to disperse or apprehend rioters;
   (b)   Is justified in using force, including deadly force, when and to the extent he or she has probable cause to believe such force is necessary to disperse or apprehend rioters whose conduct is creating a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons.
(ORC 2917.05)
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