{"data":{"id":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-33-1","jurisdiction":"us-nj","citation":"N.J. Stat. § 2C:33-1","heading":"Riot; failure to disperse.","body":"a. Riot.  A person is guilty of riot if the person participates with four or more other persons in a course of disorderly conduct as defined in subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:33-2:\n(1) With purpose to commit or facilitate the commission of a crime;\n(2) With purpose to prevent or coerce official action; or\n(3) When he or any other participant, known to him, uses or plans to use a firearm or other deadly weapon.\nRiot if committed under circumstances set forth in paragraph (3) is a crime of the third degree.  Otherwise riot is a crime of the fourth degree.\nb.\tFailure of disorderly persons to disperse upon official order. Where five or more persons are participating in a course of disorderly conduct as defined in subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:33-2 likely to cause substantial harm, a peace officer or other public servant engaged in executing or enforcing the law may order the participants and others in the immediate vicinity to disperse.  A person who refuses or knowingly fails to obey such an order commits a disorderly persons offense.\nc.\tPublic Brawl.  A person is guilty of inciting a public brawl if:\n(1) the person acts with purpose to incite a group of four or more other persons imminently to engage in a course of disorderly conduct as defined in subsections a. or d. of N.J.S.2C:33-2 or acts with purpose to produce such imminent course of disorderly conduct by a group of four or more persons; and\n(2) the person's actions are likely to incite or produce such imminent course of disorderly conduct by a group of four or more persons.\nInciting a public brawl is a crime of the fourth degree if the person acts with purpose to incite or produce the course of disorderly conduct defined in subsection a. of N.J.S.2C:33-2; otherwise, it is a disorderly persons offense. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.2C:1-8, a conviction of inciting a public brawl shall not merge with the offense of riot pursuant to subsection a. of this section or disorderly conduct pursuant to subsections a. or d. of N.J.S.2C:33-2.\nL.1978, c. 95, s. 2C:33-1, eff. Sept. 1, 1979.  Amended by L.1979, c. 178, s. 63, eff. Sept. 1, 1979;  L.1981, c. 290, s. 35, eff. Sept. 24, 1981; 2025, c.59, s.1.","path":["TITLE 2C THE NEW JERSEY CODE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE"],"source_url":"https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/statutes/STATUTES-TEXT.zip","current_through":"P.L.2025, c.405, and J.R.22","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:54:13Z","sha256":"766f32223e53f95912d2b97d5a624efd0da5e643c81a8f3a575309587f8db551","source_id":"us-nj","stale":true,"prev":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-30-8","next":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-33-2"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}