Skip to main content
US Criminal Defense.org
Menu

Virginia statute

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405 — What constitutes a riot; punishment

Current through 2026 Regular Session

Part of Article 1: Riot and Unlawful Assembly, Code of Virginia.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405

Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.

Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
Any unlawful use, by three or more persons acting together, of force or violence which seriously jeopardizes the public safety, peace or order is riot. Every person convicted of participating in any riot shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. If such person carried, at the time of such riot, any firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is what constitutes a riot a felony or a misdemeanor in Virginia?

It depends on the circumstances: what constitutes a riot ranges from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony in Virginia under Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405.

Participating in a riot: class 1 misdemeanor (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405) · Participating in a riot while armed: class 5 felony (Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405)

Which Virginia statute covers what constitutes a riot?

What constitutes a riot is governed by Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-405 (What constitutes a riot; punishment).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.