§ 21-1312 — Punishment for riot.

Every person guilty of participating in any riot is punishable as follows: 1. If any murder, maiming, robbery, rape or arson was committed in the course of such riot, such person is guilty of a Class A1 felony offense punishable in the same manner as a principal in such crime; 2. If the purpose of the riotous assembly was to resist the execution of any statute of this state or of the United States, or to obstruct any public officer of this state or of the United States, in the performance of any legal duty, or in serving or executing any legal process, such person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class B3 felony offense punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding ten (10) years and not less than two (2) years; 3. If such person carried at the time of such riot any species of firearms, or other deadly or dangerous weapon, or was disguised, such person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class B3 felony offense punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding ten (10) years and not less than two (2) years; 4. If such person directed, advised, encouraged or solicited other persons, who participated in the riot to acts of force or violence, such person shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a Class B1 felony offense punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding twenty (20) years and not less than two (2) years; or 5. Every person who shall unlawfully obstruct the normal use of any public street, highway or road within this state by impeding, hindering or restraining motor vehicle traffic or passage thereon, by standing or approaching motor vehicles thereon, or by endangering the safe movement of motor vehicles or pedestrians traveling thereon shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding one (1) year, or by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) and not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment. In addition, the person shall be liable for all damages to person or property by reason of the same. As used in this paragraph, "obstruct" means to render impassable or to render passage unreasonably inconvenient or hazardous. In all other cases such person is punishable as for a misdemeanor.

Legislative History

R.L. 1910, § 2559. Amended by Laws 1997, c. 133, § 339, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 1999, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 5, § 233, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2021, c. 106, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2021; Laws 2025, c. 486, § 10, eff. Jan. 1, 2026. NOTE: Laws 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 2, § 23 amended the effective date of Laws 1997, c. 133, § 339 from July 1, 1998, to July 1, 1999.