protest, riot, unrest, uprising, insurrection
What to know
Collective action takes many different forms and can be described using a range of terms. The words you choose are loaded with consequences that can affect the accuracy of your reporting, public perception and understanding of the action, and the safety of those participating.
“Protest” refers to public actions expressing opposition, such as marches, sit-ins, demonstrations, and forms of non-physical or digital actions (i.e., boycotts or social media campaigns). They can involve anywhere from a handful to millions of people, and can be legal or illegal, online or offline, peaceful or violent—and in the latter case, violence can be initiated by law enforcement, counter-protesters, and/or protesters themselves. Union strikes and picket lines are specific forms of demonstrations centered on worker rights.
“Riot” is a violent disturbance of peace involving a group of people with the same intent. Critics of the term say it carries racial connotations because it has been disparately lodged against communities of color, and particularly Black communities, protesting racism. “Focusing on rioting and property destruction rather than underlying grievance has been used in the past to stigmatize broad swaths of people protesting against lynching, police brutality or for racial justice, going back to the urban uprisings of the 1960s,” according to the Associated Press Stylebook. In addition, rioting or inciting a riot is a crime. Careful usage of the term riot is important not only to ensure accurate reporting in accordance with the legal criteria, but also to minimize harm.
If property damage or violence occurs during a protest, taking care not to attribute the actions of a few to the full group is necessary for accuracy. Describing the details of events rather than labeling entire protests as “peaceful” or “violent” provides readers with a clear, accurate picture of what is occurring. In addition, it is important to clarify which actors are perpetrating the violence, such as protesters, counter-protesters, or law enforcement. Otherwise, reporters run the risk of erroneously portraying nonviolent participants as violent.
An alternative to “riot” is the term “unrest.” Some journalism associations, such as the Radio Television Digital News Association, also suggest using specific descriptions of what is unfolding rather than labels.
“Uprising” refers to a sustained period of unrest against governing systems or groups that hold power, according to the AP. Poynter says the term is often associated with a justifiable action against tyranny or injustice.
Like rioting, “insurrection” is a crime. It describes a rebellion against an established authority, often using violence. The January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol is widely referred to as an insurrection because armed protesters broke into the building, interrupted the certification of Electoral College votes, forced the evacuation of elected officials, and led to deaths.
Journalists often watch protests and related actions develop in real-time as they cover them. Describing what you observe rather than using general labels that could misrepresent events will result in accurate, specific, and contextual reporting until there is further understanding of what unfolded.
For nuanced reporting that drives conversation and captures the moment, track protesters who are deploying different levers online and in real life, understand the goals of their movement and the logic behind their tactics, and share accurate measures of impact.
When covering protests, asking participants how they prefer to be identified will help ensure accurate reporting that properly represents sources. The term activist refers to someone who takes part in activities to bring about political or social change. However, not all participants in protests consider themselves activists; they might report they do not engage in activism frequently enough to carry the title, or that they relate to their involvement in a different way. Alternative terms include demonstrator, protester, participant, or attendee.
Additional resources
- A Better Way to Tell Protest Stories (The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Media Engagement)
- From ‘protest’ to ‘riot’ to ‘insurrection’ — How NPR’s language evolved (NPR)
Summary
“Protest” refers to public actions expressing opposition, such as marches, sit-ins, demonstrations, and forms of non-physical or digital actions. “Riot” is a violent disturbance of peace involving a group of people with the same intent; some journalism organizations advise extra caution and, in some cases, recommend alternatives to the term. “Uprising” refers to a period of protest against governing systems or injustice. “Insurrection” describes a rebellion against an established authority, often using violence.. When in doubt, describe the specifics of what you see to avoid inaccurate labels.