# Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.04: Failure to disperse

> Ohio · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.04

## Section

- **Citation:** Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.04
- **Heading:** Failure to disperse
- **Jurisdiction:** Ohio
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Ohio Revised Code / Title 29 / Chapter 2917 / § 2917.04

## Text

March 22, 2004 Senate Bill 57 - 125th General Assembly (A) Where five or more persons are participating in a course of disorderly conduct in violation of section 2917.11 of the Revised Code, and there are other persons in the vicinity whose presence creates the likelihood of physical harm to persons or property or of serious public inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm, a law enforcement officer or other public official may order the participants and such other persons to disperse. No person shall knowingly fail to obey such order. (B) Nothing in this section requires persons to disperse who are peaceably assembled for a lawful purpose. (C)(1) Whoever violates this section is guilty of failure to disperse. (2) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(3) of this section, failure to disperse is a minor misdemeanor. (3) Failure to disperse is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree if the failure to obey the order described in division (A) of this section creates the likelihood of physical harm to persons or is committed at the scene of a fire, accident, disaster, riot, or emergency of any kind.

## Nearby sections

- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.01 § 2917.01. Inciting to violence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.01.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.02 § 2917.02. Aggravated riot](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.02.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.03 § 2917.03. Riot](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.03.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.04 § 2917.04. Failure to disperse](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.04.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.05 § 2917.05. Use of force to suppress riot or in protecting persons or property during riot](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.05.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.11 § 2917.11. Disorderly conduct](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.11.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.12 § 2917.12. Disturbing a lawful meeting](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.12.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.13 § 2917.13. Misconduct at emergency](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.13.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.14 § 2917.14. Unlawfully impeding public passage of an emergency service responder](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.14.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.21 § 2917.21. Telecommunications harassment](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.21.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.031 § 2917.031. Required proof for offenses of riot and aggravated riot](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.031.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.31 § 2917.31. Inducing panic](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.31.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.32 § 2917.32. Making false alarms](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.32.md)
- [Ohio Rev. Code § 2917.33 § 2917.33. Unlawful possession or use of a hoax weapon of mass destruction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.33.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_OH_T29_C2917_S2917.04. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.