Article 153.

Tumults and Other

Disturbances of Public Order

Acts punished

1. Causing any serious disturbance in

a public place, office or

establishment;

2. Interrupting or disturbing

performances, functions or

gatherings, or peaceful meetings, if

the act is not included in Articles 131

and 132;

3. Making any outcry tending to incite

rebellion or sedition in any meeting,

association or public place;

4. Displaying placards or emblems

which provoke a disturbance of

public order in such place;

5. Burying with pomp the body of a

person who has been legally

executed.

The essence is creating public disorder.

This crime is brought about by creating

serious disturbances in public places, public

buildings, and even in private places where

public functions or performances are being

held.

For a crime to be under this article, it must

not fall under Articles 131 (prohibition,

interruption, and dissolution of peaceful

meetings) and 132 (interruption of religious

worship).

In the act of making outcry during speech

tending to incite rebellion or sedition, the

situation must be distinguished from inciting

to sedition or rebellion. If the speaker, even

before he delivered his speech, already had

the criminal intent to incite the listeners to

rise to sedition, the crime would be inciting

to sedition. However, if the offender had no

such criminal intent, but in the course of his

speech, tempers went high and so the

speaker started inciting the audience to rise

in sedition against the government, the

crime is disturbance of the public order.

The disturbance of the pubic order is

tumultuous and the penalty is increased if it

is brought about by armed men. The term

armed does not refer to firearms but

includes even big stones capable of causing

grave injury.
It is also disturbance of the public order if a

convict legally put to death is buried with

pomp. He should not be made out as a

martyr; it might incite others to hatred.