Protests And Assembly
RCW 9A.84.020 — failure to disperse when a group's conduct creates a substantial risk of injury or harm to property
Failure to disperse. A person is guilty of failure to disperse by congregating with a group of three or more other persons, where acts of conduct within the group create a substantial risk of causing injury to any person or substantial harm to property, and refusing or failing to disperse when ordered by a peace officer or other public servant enforcing the law. It is a misdemeanor.
Criminal mischief. A person acting with three or more other persons who knowingly and unlawfully uses or threatens force, or participates in its use, against a person or property, is guilty of criminal mischief, a gross misdemeanor, and a class C felony if armed with a deadly weapon.
The right to assemble and to speak comes from the state and federal constitutions, and permits for marches and the use of public places are set by local rules; neither is on this page. Whether a particular order was lawful, or a particular gathering unlawful, is a question of fact and law for a licensed Washington attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- RCW 9A.84.020 — Failure to disperse
- RCW 9A.84.010 — Criminal mischief
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.