Is This Prank Disturbing The Peace? Unique Case of Wrongdoing

The United States builds on universal rights, such as the right to free speech and the right to vote, which citizens enjoy. In addition to these basic privileges, there are lesser-known rights, such as the right to peace and tranquility. Rights such as this are often vague, usually for legal applications. Today, we will discuss what “peace and tranquility” really mean and how things such as pranks can disturb the peace. 

Public Pranksters Gains Widespread Attention 

In this viral video, a group of pranksters causes havoc on a beach of unsuspecting people. They mix laxatives with potato chips and feed them to seagulls on the beach. In multiple clips that follow, we see people get repeatedly pelted with seagull droppings due to the laxatives. The pranksters continue filming as people run away, frantically trying to avoid falling seagull poop, creating a major scene.

In addition to the fact that people frown upon feeding wildlife or consider it illegal, the pranksters in the video likely disturbed the peace. They created a scene that disrupted the tranquility of people enjoying the beach. Furthermore, the prank could have posed a danger, as animal fecal matter can cause human illness.

All things considered, a light-hearted prank from time to time is often appreciated. With that said, next time you plan a public beach prank, leave your potato chips and laxatives behind!

Disturbing The Peace: What Is It? 

Disturbing the peace is when someone disturbs the peace and tranquility of a public space. It can also be viewed as someone jeopardizing others’ rights to peace and tranquility. In certain areas, disturbing the peace may also be called disorderly conduct or breach of the peace. 

Some actions that can land you with disturbing the peace charges include: 

• Profusely swearing in public. 
• Creating excessively loud or disturbing noises in public. 
• Inciting a fight or a riot. 
• Knocking loudly on doors with the intent to disturb. 
• Bullying someone in public. 
• Allowing pets to create excessive noise in a residential area. 
• Playing loud music or radio after a fair warning. 

Disturbing the peace laws differ from state to state. Each jurisdiction may have specific definitions and punishments related to the crime. Generally, when courts hear these cases, they consider factors such as the person’s intent, who participates, and the severity of the act.

By definition, disturbing the peace is vague. One person’s definition of peace and tranquility may differ from another. Although it may seem like an oversight in lawmaking, this vagueness is useful for police officers and legal professionals. First, it allows officers to arrest those who are generally causing a disturbance without being violent or dangerous. Additionally, defendants can use disturbing the peace as a plea defense to lower the severity of generic charges.

What Is The Punishment For Disturbing the Peace 

In most areas, disturbing the peace is a misdemeanor. As a result, common punishments include fines, short stints of jail time, or alternative sentences. Since it is such a minor crime, most people found guilty of disturbing the peace can avoid jail time, especially if it is their first offense. In many situations, courts will settle with small fines or community service.

As with most legal concepts, states have unique breaches of the peace laws that dictate the specific rules of the jurisdiction. Some states are more lenient with the laws, while others are more stringent. For instance, Washington state identifies disturbing the peace as “disorderly conduct,” of which multiple examples exist in the legislature. 

You should search online or consult a legal professional to learn more about your state’s laws on disturbing the peace. 

Unique Cases of Disorderly Conduct

As mentioned earlier, disturbing the peace is a general term that can describe numerous offenses. Commonly, it takes the form of antagonizing others, publicly causing a scene or even ding-dong ditching. However, not all cases are so clean-cut. Many situations that involve unique or even far-fetched offenses are categorized under this title.

This blog describes some of the most unique, disturbing peace cases to come from Florida. Most notably, authorities charged one man after he threatened to release “an army of turtles” to “destroy everyone.”

In addition to its comical nature, disturbing the peace can be a great way to charge people and cause public unrest in unusual ways.