(The Prince of Verona)
"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets;
And made Verona's ancient citizens
Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments,
To wield old partisans, in hands as old,
Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate.
If ever you disturb our streets again,
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace:"W. Shakespeare from Romeo & Juliet Act 1 Scene 1
Basic Information
Affray is a public order crime related to disturbing the peace which refers specifically to fighting in a public place in such a way as to cause alarm or distress to others. This charge can be levelled even if the accused are not charged with any crime of violence (such as assault) or property damage (such as criminal damage) since it relates only to the public nuisance.
Sources
Game and Story Use
- This charge could still be levelled in a jurisdiction which permits private war - you are free to fight and kill your enemies, but if you do it in a public place you will still face charges.
- Can also be used as a holding charge in cases where the victim of an attack has been intimidated into non-cooperation with the police - the attacker can still be charged with affray if nothing else (this used to be valuable in domestic violence cases and similar affairs).