What causes riots? What makes people want to go out on the streets, inflict damage to property and other individuals, and cause havoc and mayhem through violence? Is it because rioters are continually marginalized in society and have no means of airing their grievances thus resorting to these types of violent public demonstrations? Or is it something simpler? Simon Kuper, on the Financial Times, dissects how riots begin, why they occur, and how we can respond to them.
As civilized societies, we have rules and boundaries in place to maintain peace and order among the constituents. Many democratic countries recognize what is called the right to peaceful assembly which allows citizens to gather, hold meetings, strikes, rallies, events, and even protests.
Usually, when public demonstrations happen, protesters are required to inform the local government, submit the necessary documents to apply for the particular location and time they went to section off for their public demonstration. Then, the local government will assign police units who will be on stand-by just in case things escalate and become unruly or chaotic. In such cases, the police have the right to intervene and use force if necessary.
Riots are different from these types of public demonstrations. If we look at how riots start, especially those from recent memory, they don't seem to have gone through the same channels that public demonstrations usually do. As depicted in media, they often appear as though dissidents banded together to cause mayhem and destruction, and then use political rhetoric as a ruse or a guise to justify their actions.
There are generally two rival theories when people try to put these riots into perspective and analyze how and why they began. The first one is called the "riffraff" theory which basically assumes that the perpetrators of the riots are a band of hooligans who have lost control of their behavior and want a moment of freedom, removing the "shackles" that society has placed on them.
The second theory is the "rational actor" theory, which assumes that rioters are individuals who share a common sentiment and feel as though they are the only ones who understand their plight. As such, they must take action in order to get those in authority to look their way and listen to their grievances. Over time, social scientists have shifted the rationale for riot behavior toward the second theory.
Still, which perspective one takes depends on whose side one is on. For example, the recent riots in Southport, England may be framed as people on the extreme end of the political spectrum retaliating for the crime that happened in their town. From the other's perspective, they will explain this by saying that these people are acting out of concern for the safety of citizens in the country.
From examples like this, we might be tempted to think that riots happen only because of political reasons. But that is not always the case for everyone who participates in riots.
Bill Buford, an American journalist who wrote the book Among the Thugs in 1990, wanted to know the source of football hooliganism in the UK, and why so often young British males were rioting every Saturday back in the 1980s.
What he found was that there was no reason why these young men went out and committed such violent acts. It was simply exhilarating. For anyone who feels disenfranchised or disempowered, nothing makes them feel more alive than the feeling of being in control and powerful. And the most basic show of power is through a show of force, through violence.
Not all riots are politically motivated, although it may start out with a few people airing out their grievances and finding community with those who share the same sentiments. Sprinkle in a little bit of misinformation here and there, and a few forceful words of motivation, then you have a charged band of rioters ready to take on the world.
A lot of rioters feel lonely and disregarded by society. They want that exhilaration and that sense of belonging. Social media highly influences these people with misinformation and on top of that, the isolation and loneliness will just push them to act on their impulses.
In the aftermath of the Southport riots, many of those who were arrested, after coming to their senses, admitted to their crimes. Some commenting that they had been a fool for participating in such violence and that their behavior was appalling. Others even wept after realizing what they had done.
How do we respond to these riots? How do we stop them? Some suggest to take down misinformation from social media before they even spread. Others try to launch counter-protests, protecting the groups which the rioters have targeted. But perhaps, another way, according to Kuper, is to build a sense of community that transcends ethnicity.
These riots happen because there are people who want to tear the social fabric which they feel ostracized by and have pushed them as outcasts. There may be people there who are mentally or emotionally vulnerable.
Proper communication and dialogue to build understanding between people who have differing views could be a way to deter such violent acts. Trying to engage with people on the other side of the aisle with civility and respect may be a good start. - via Marginal Revolution
(Image credit: Jonathan Harrison/Unsplash)