A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by
what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense
rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may
attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic
and exhibit herd behavior, and usually generated by civil unrest. However,
there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that riots are not irrational,
herd-like behavior, but follow inverted social norms. Riots often occur in reaction to a perceived grievance or
out of dissent. Historically, riots have occurred due to poor working or living
conditions, governmental oppression, taxation or conscription, conflicts
between ethnic groups, food supply or religions, the outcome of a sporting
event (see football hooliganism) or frustration with legal channels through
which to air grievances.
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 proved to be violent from
the very beginning, and it only elevated until the fighting ceased, a week
after it began. Before the riot, citizens in Romania were unhappy with various
things. The first is Nicolae Ceau?escu’s move to entirely wipe out the state’s
debt. To do this, he decided to export a large amount of goods from Romania in
exchange for international currency. Even if his plan would have worked, most
people within the country became increasingly poor and shortages in various
items were common. Things such as television, food, clothing, electricity, and
plenty of other things were cut short. However, as silly as it sounds, while
attempting to lessen the debt, he also held parades and celebrations to
celebrate himself and his wife, which only drained more money. People were also
very concerned about the country’s secret police, who were seemingly trying to
turn the country into a police state. Free speech was taken away, books were
censored, radio channels were banned, and no one was to criticize the regime.
All of this greatly angered many citizens, and most believed that a revolution
was inevitable.
How it started
With a majority of unhappiness spreading throughout the
country, it was no surprise that the Romanian government was in serious
trouble. The first real protest began on December 16, 1989 when Romanian
officials were attempting to get rid of Laszlo Tokes, a dissident. He had
spoken out against the government which caused him to lose his job as a pastor,
though many citizens stood up for him and found ways to protect him from being
evicted from his home. With crowds gathering around Tokes’ home, the police
force was called in, and despite the ruling being turned over, the people were
furious and did not leave, which meant that the police had to use force to
break up the gathering. They were successful in doing so but many regrouped
later in the day. The next day a group of rioters broke into the District
Committee building and trashed everything, including propaganda and brochures
and even attempted to set the building on fire, which failed. As the riot grew
worse, the police force was called in, but this proved to be futile, so tanks
and armored personnel carriers were called in, as the police was unable to stop
the shootings, fires, and fights. Riots continued each day, but the largest
occurred on December 21, when nearly 100,000 people came together, many of them
shouting anti-government chants and calling for the resignation of Ceau?escu,
which did not happen.
How it ended
Rioting continued and the crowds grew larger as Ceau?escu
made a visit to Iran.
His police force was still unable to control the rioters and because of this,
he was forced to give a speech denouncing the riots and explaining how the
events were putting the country at risk internally. However, the rioters were
hearing none of it and more poured into the streets. To confront them, tanks,
soldiers, and troops were all sent in, despite the fact that the rioters were
unarmed. Gunfire came from various different buildings, wounding many and
killing even more. With the rioting still continuing, Ceau?escu decided that it
was time to flee. Thinking that the riots were suppressed somewhat, he opted to
leave on the morning of December 22. Ceau?escu along with his wife raced to get
into the helicopter that was set to take them to a remote location; however,
rioters weren’t far behind him. Though successful at getting off the ground,
the pilot, with 6 people in his 4 passenger helicopter, complained of false
engine-troubles and landed in a field. Here those in the helicopter attempted
to flag down cars to get away, but Ceau?escu was picked up, along with his
wife, and arrested. They were put on trial and eventually executed, thus ending
the revolution.
4. First Intifada 1987-1993 – 2,326 dead
Though there have been plenty of Intifadas throughout
history, this one stands as one of the deadliest. The First Intifada began on
December 8, 1987 when an Israeli army tank somehow got into an accident with
Palestinians at the Erez Crossing who lived on the Gaza strip at the Jabalia refugee camp which
killed four and seriously injured seven others. However, the Palestinians
believed that this was no accident, as a few days earlier a Jewish man was
stabbed to death in a nearby location. With this and long record of hostility
between the Palestinians and Israelis, riots started to erupt in various
locations.
How it started
For a pretty long time, the Palestinians and the Israelis
have had nothing short of bad history. During the First Intifada, the
Palestinians were outraged that Israelis were occupying Palestinian
territories, including the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip. They say that the Israelis had been deporting and executing
Palestinians. Because of this, people began to gather and decided to show their
disapproval at the Jabalia refugee camp, which then lead to various other
uprisings in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East
Jerusalem. Even though by the end of it all 2,326 were dead,
the riot did start out very peaceful. The Palestinians practiced resistance,
strikes, barricades, tax refusal, and other methods that weren’t harmful to
anyone. However, these acts eventually turned very violent and deadly and much
more widespread. During the riots, plenty of Palestinian leaders were killed,
including Abu Jihad. By the end of it all, 2,326 people were dead, and scores
more injured.
How it ended
The riots began to die down in 1991, was the Palestinians
weren’t getting anywhere and a clear direction was no longer in site.
Palestinian people were being slaughtered each day, and the Palestine
Liberation Organization was losing members. However, the Intifada did change
numerous things. For one, the decision to combine Palestinian areas with Jordan was no
longer considered. Also, many countries, including the U.S. spoke nationally about Israel’s
wrong-doings, which isn’t something that many countries do. The rioting also
brought about plenty of international discussion as to who should own the Gaza
Strip and various other locations.
3. Direct Action Day 1946 – 4,000 dead
This riot stands as the deadliest Muslim-Hindu riot in
history. Direct Action Day, also known as the Great Calcutta Killing, happened
on August 16, 1946, and ended with 4,000 people dead and almost 10,000 people
homeless. The riot occurred in a place now known as Kolkata, a city in the
province Bengal in British India, which at the time was known as Calcutta. During the
1940s Constituent Assembly of India, the Indian National Congress and the
Muslim League were at odds when the British government was opting for
independence of the Indians. However, this plan did not satisfy everyone,
mainly the Muslims who were long seeking an independent and separate Pakistan;
however, this plan was shot down without thought. The riot began on the 18th
day of Ramadan, and was planned to be peaceful, but turned out to be anything
but.
How it started
With plenty of unhappy Muslims because of the decision for
Indian independence, Hindus living within Calcutta
were attacked on a massive level. Muslims used clubs, knives, guns, and other
weapons to kill any Hindu they saw, including young children and women. Some
even say that women were beaten, raped, and buried alive. The unhappy rioters
would even stone offices and set various businesses on fire. To get revenge,
the Hindus then began to attack Muslim mosques as well as the Muslim slums. The
fighting not only caused death, but thousands of injuries as well as shortages
within the city. Those who survived were often left homeless and had to wander
to look for food as well as some place of safety.
How it ended
The rioting seemed to end and die down on the 21st day of
Ramadan, and at this time an estimated 4,000 people were dead, though some
sources have said the death toll was around 7,000-10,000. The fighting was so
bad that even police forces from both sides were unable to control it, let
alone stop it completely. Many times, the police forces became those who picked
up the dead bodies and put them alongside the road to avoid anymore trauma
while the fighting continued. On August 22, the riots finally ended after
British troops were sent in to calm the violence. During the riots, many people
left their homes, but those who did not leave were subject to the violence.
With over 100,000 injured, the riots didn’t end in Calcutta. In fact, Direct Action Day sparked
various other riots throughout India.
2. Arab revolt in Palestine
1936–1939 – 5,600 dead
During the Arab revolt in Palestine
1936-1939, those who took part in the riots were protesting two main problems:
large Jewish immigration to the Palestine
area as well as firing back against the British’s colonial rule. The first
years of the riots were mainly lead by Arab Higher Committee (AHC). During this
time violence wasn’t a huge issue; those who took part would simply go on
strike and other types of political protest that caused no real harm or danger
to anyone. However, this took a turn in 1937 after the British had calmed the
first round of riots. In September 1937 the rioting turned violent and
thousands were killed. It is said that during the riots about 10% of the male
Palestinian population between the ages 20-60 were killed, imprisoned, exiled,
or wounded. But, in the end, these riots would prove to be quite unsuccessful.
How it started
In April 1936, several different Arab leaders banded
together to protest Zionist advances in Palestine.
These leaders, better known as the AHC, were calling for Arab workers to go on
strike and to boycott any type of Jewish products. The group, lead by Haj Amin
al-Husseini, represented the aims of the Arabs in Palestine until 1948. In Palestine, Jews were accumulating more land
and more were immigrating to the location and the Arabs were not only
frustrated at this influx, but also do to the European power that they were
under. The AHC was calling for a swift end to these practices and wanted to
spring up an Arab nationalist government to rule Palestine. Even though the riots started off
peacefully, they quickly escalated once the Arabs realized that the British
were able to squash their methods and that no change was going to come about
through peaceful protest. By the end of 1937, Arabs, Jews, and even British
soldiers were being killed due to violent and gang activities. Many Arabs were
imprisoned, some hanged, and some even sent to live elsewhere.
How it ended
During this time, the British were also waging for a
possible war with Germany.
The country realized that they needed to maintain their Middle Eastern oil
supply as they were dependent upon it and because of that have to ensure that
the Arabs were in goodwill. However, at the same time, British rule was highly
influenced and supported by the Jews as they were fighting against Nazi
Germany. But in the end the government sided with the Arabs and relied on
appeasement despite the country’s history of supporting Palestine as a Jewish homeland as well as the
Balfour Declaration in 1917. Despite Britain’s decisions, Jewish
immigration and growth continued. In 1937 the British, working alongside with
the AHC, tried to draft a way to mediate the situation. A Peel Commission was
created which stated that Palestine
should be separated into Jewish and Arab states, but the Arabs were not for any
type of partition. In the end with no reasonable conclusion met, the British
had to keep the riots down with force and got rid of the AHC. Today, Palestine is still a land
full of conflict.
1. Nika Riots – 30,000 dead
While most riots usually last a day or two, the Nika riots
in 532A.D. lasted a week, and today the riots are known as the deadliest ever,
with thousands left dead throughout the city. Half of the city was burned to
ashes and debris and the number of people who died is truly shocking. The riots
took place in Constantinople at the Hippodrome
and turned very violent after the news of the emperor of the time, Justinian I,
not bringing releasing two men who were accused of murder. The name of the
riots, “nika” means conquer, which really sets the stage for the riots. Those
who participated often shouted the word.
How it started
In the fifth century, chariot races and other type of
Olympic-like games were very popular. Just like in today’s world, there were
teams that would compete against each other to become the champion. The two
teams of the time of the riots were the Blues and the Greens. Justinian was
very fond of the Blues and definitely made this known. However, a few days
before the riot started, players from each of the teams was accused of murder
and sentenced to execution. Many of the team members were hanged but somehow
the execution was botched and one member of each team escaped and went into
hiding at a church sanctuary. People called upon Justinian to have these men
released; instead, he had the church secured by guards. At the games people
called for the release of the men, but Justinian did nothing, and the violence
started. Rioters banded together and began to set various buildings on fire, including
the Hippodrome after the emperor decided to hold even more chariot races the
next day.
How it ended
As the city grew more out of control, those who worked with
Justinian, his senators, decided this was an opportune time to overthrow him as
they did not agree with his new tax laws. Because of this, the senators joined
in on the rioting and called for a new emperor as well as for John the
Cappadocian and Tribonian step down for supporting Justinian’s tax ideas.
However, this did not happen and with the rioting continuing, Justinian had two
of his guards go to the Hippodrome and lock the doors to keep the people
inside. The two men then killed everyone who was inside. By the end of it
all, 30,000 people were dead and a majority of the city was left in a
disastrous state. Justinian did eventually have the city rebuilt after he
exiled those who turned against him.
Source: http://top5s.net
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