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City of Santa Ana Emergency Operations Plan
<br />Part I Basic Plan
<br />2.4.8 Civil Unrest
<br />There is a wide variety of public behavior that may be disruptive or disorderly and may be legal or illegal, and
<br />most of this activity would not constitute an emergency under this Plan. For the purposes of this Plan, civil unrest
<br />is defined as a widespread outbreak of rioting, violence, looting, property destruction, arson, or attacks on law
<br />enforcement or other government functions. At its extreme, civil unrest may be defined as the breakdown of civil
<br />society, causing a substantial threat to life and property and an inability to travel in the community, to engage in
<br />commerce, or to access public or private services.
<br />Not all protests, marches or demonstrations, including those with disruptive or angry crowds, would constitute
<br />civil unrest; many of these may be lawful public assembly and free speech. Civil disobedience, where crowds
<br />engage in illegal behavior that requires a law enforcement response (such as excessive noise, sit-ins, blocking
<br />traffic, or disrupting events) also would not be considered an emergency under this Plan; which instead focuses
<br />on widespread, sustained threats to life and property.
<br />Civil unrest is often distinguished by the fact that normal on -duty police and public safety resources cannot
<br />adequately manage the situation until additional mutual aid resources can be mobilized, and civil unrest may grow
<br />to large proportions during this initial response phase.
<br />Civil Unrest Causes and Motivations
<br />Civil unrest may occur spontaneously or as the result of organized incitement. Civil unrest can be spurred by
<br />specific events, such as retaliation for or celebration of the results of large sporting events or verdicts in high -
<br />profile criminal trials. Civil unrest can also be the result of long-term grievances against government authority or
<br />policy or anger over a variety of economic, political or social factors in a community. Civil unrest can be used as
<br />a tactic designed to bring attention to any of these causes.
<br />Individuals may attempt to lead civil unrest, but frequently it occurs as the result of disorganized groups coalescing
<br />into herd behavior or mob psychology, where the anger, excitement, or violent or destructive behavior of some
<br />people encourages or reinforces more of the same behavior in others. As the crowd grows larger and more chaotic,
<br />the more each individual will feel that they can engage in unrest without being specifically observed, identified
<br />or apprehended.
<br />Additionally, terrorists could use the chaotic activity of civil unrest, either spontaneous or planned, to provide
<br />misdirection of their intent, to camouflage their actions, or to magnify the results of an attack.
<br />Civil Unrest Events
<br />Southern California has faced civil unrest in various forms since the Watts riots of 1965, Huntington Beach surf
<br />riots in August 1986 and July 2013, Anaheim civil unrest in July 2012, Fullerton -Kelly Thomas trial in January
<br />2014 and OC Fairgrounds Trump rally in April 2016.
<br />The most prominent example in recent history is the 1992 Los Angeles riots, also known as the Rodney King
<br />riots. In March 1991, Rodney King led police officers on a lengthy, high-speed chase throughout Los Angeles,
<br />and when finally stopped, offered physical resistance when being taken into custody. A bystander videotaped
<br />police officers striking King with batons and shocking him with Tasers numerous times for approximately 12
<br />minutes. Four police officers were charged with various assault and excessive force offenses, but a jury acquitted
<br />three of the officers of all charges and acquitted the fourth of all but one charge.
<br />The trial was closely followed by the public and protests began as soon as the verdicts were announced. Protests
<br />quickly escalated into thousands of people participating in riots, lootings, arsons, assaults and killings that spread
<br />throughout the City of Los Angeles and lasted for six days. Schools, banks and businesses were closed. Major
<br />league sports events, concerts and other entertainment events were cancelled. Mass transit ceased operating and
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