The Free dictionary defines a riot as, “a violent disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons assembled for a common purpose.”  But, what is it that causes a group of people to gather, and indulge in looting and violence is a question that is difficult to answer.

The immediate cause: There is always an immediate cause for riots to start. It can be a small incident, or a major event. Whatever the scale of the triggering event, what follows is usually much worse, and results in greater loss of life and property. The death of Mark Duggan, for instance, was the immediate cause of the riots to start in London, but the spread of the riots had almost nothing to do with his death.

Inherent problem:  Another important reason for riots to happen is the existence of some inherent problem in the system that has been ignored for quite some time. It is similar to a stack of gunpowder that keeps on accumulating over a period of time. People who can do something about it, ignore it and hope that a strong gust of wind will blow the whole thing away. Sometimes, however, before the problem can take care of itself, a spark lights the stack of gunpowder resulting in a huge explosion. The inherent problem is usually so deep that even the more sensible people are sometimes forced to take sides and join the rioting. This inherent problem could be based on religion, ethnicity, or some other similar criteria that drives deep wedges in the society.

The Mob mentality: It is a fact well established that the behaviour of an individual is different when he is alone, and different when he is in a group. During a riot the mob mentality completely takes over, and an individual usually suspends his own judgement, and blindly indulges in the violent activities initiated by others around him.

Further, in a mob one feels that one is not responsible for all the violence and destruction. Everyone feels that he has played only a small role, and the violence would have been perpetrated even if he was not involved. As they say, everyone’s responsibility is no one’s responsibility.

Selfish Interests: Many a times there are certain individuals or group of individuals who stand to benefit by the continuance of riots, even though others around them are suffering. These people try their best to instigate mobs to continue rioting. In volatile conditions, more often than not, they succeed. These people may be religious or political leaders, dictators, or just local thugs. If we look hard enough, it won’t be difficult to identify these people who continue to add oil to the rioting fires.

In case of the London riots, one can’t help but feel that the major force behind the spread of the riots were the people who wanted to continue the riots for as long as possible so that a large number of stores could be looted.
Getting a high: Most people today, it must be admitted, are leading ordinary lives, bordering on the boring. Therefore, they are constantly on the lookout for something different to break the monotony of everyday life. During a riot they get their chance.

In her apology for participating in looting during the Vancouver Stanley cup riots, Camille, a young woman, wrote:

At the time, being a part of the riot was simply to fulfill the adrenaline rush I was looking and hoping for – an adrenaline rush that I previously got from post-winning games: hugging randoms, dancing on the streets, honking car horns non-stop, and high-fiving just about everybody. In the same way that everybody enjoyed collectively showing pride in our team, it was enjoyable to express my disappointment in a collective manor.

I had no intentions of defiling the city. I love Vancouver as much as you do – I’ve lived here since I was 7 months old. But in my immature, intoxicated perspective all I saw was that the riot was happening, and would continue happening with or without me, so I might as well get my adrenaline fix.

Unpreparedness of the Police Force:  A riots is not something that happens often. So, most police departments, across the world, are not equipped to deal with them at a short notice. It takes a while before they can gear up, and mobilise resources to quell the unrest. Therefore, between the initiation and the ending of the rioting, there is a period when the rioting goes on unabated. The sooner the police force is able to gather enough numbers to intimidate the rioters, the sooner the riots are stopped.

Most riots, I feel, happen due to all or a combination of the above factors. What factors do you think cause riots to happen?

(Image Courtesy : Christos and drewzhrodague)