Whoever is convicted of an affray in the District shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both.
§ 22–1302. Duelling challenges. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1303. Assault for refusal to accept challenge. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1304. Leaving District to give or receive challenge. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1305. Prize fights and animal fights prohibited. [Repealed]
(a) It is unlawful for a person, alone or in concert with others:
(1) To crowd, obstruct, or incommode:
(A) The use of any street, avenue, alley, road, highway, or sidewalk;
(B) The entrance of any public or private building or enclosure;
(C) The use of or passage through any public building or public conveyance; or
(D) The passage through or within any park or reservation; and
(2) To continue or resume the crowding, obstructing, or incommoding after being instructed by a law enforcement officer to cease the crowding, obstructing, or incommoding.
(b)(1) It is unlawful for a person, alone or in concert with others, to engage in a demonstration in an area where it is otherwise unlawful to demonstrate and to continue or resume engaging in a demonstration after being instructed by a law enforcement officer to cease engaging in a demonstration.
(2) For purposes of this subsection, the term “demonstration” means marching, congregating, standing, sitting, lying down, parading, demonstrating, or patrolling by one or more persons, with or without signs, for the purpose of persuading one or more individuals, or the public, or to protest some action, attitude, or belief.
(c) A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both.
§ 22–1308. Playing games in streets.
It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to play the game of football, or any other game with a ball, in any of the streets, avenues, or alleys in the City of Washington; nor shall it be lawful for any person or persons to play the game of bandy, shindy, or any other game by which a ball, stone, or other substance is struck or propelled by any stick, cane, or other substance in any street, avenue, or alley in the City of Washington, under a penalty of not more than $5 for each and every such offense.
§ 22–1309. Throwing stones or other missiles.
It shall not be lawful for any person or persons within the District of Columbia to throw any stone or other missile in any street, avenue, alley, road, or highway, or open space, or public square, or inclosure, or to throw any stone or other missile from any place into any street, avenue, road, or highway, alley, open space, public square, or inclosure, under a penalty of not more than $500 for every such offense.
§ 22–1310. Urging dogs to fight or create disorder.
It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to entice, induce, urge, or cause any dogs to engage in a fight in any street, alley, road, or highway, open space, or public square in the District of Columbia, or to urge, entice, or cause such dogs to continue or prolong such fight, under a penalty of not more than $1,000 for each and every offense; and any person or persons who shall induce or cause any animal of the dog kind to run after, bark at, frighten, or bite any person, horse, or horses, cows, cattle of any kind, or other animals lawfully passing along or standing in or on any street, avenue, road, or highway, or alley in the District of Columbia, shall forfeit and pay for such offense a sum not exceeding $1,000.
§ 22–1311. Allowing dogs to go at large.
(a) If any owner or possessor of a fierce or dangerous dog shall permit the same to go at large, knowing said dog to be fierce or dangerous, to the danger or annoyance of the inhabitants, he shall upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $5,000; and if such animal shall attack or bite any person, the owner or possessor thereof shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding $10,000, and in addition to such punishment the court shall adjudge and order that such animal be forthwith delivered to the poundmaster, and said poundmaster is hereby authorized and directed to kill such animal so delivered to him.
(b) If any owner or possessor of a female dog shall permit her to go at large in the District of Columbia while in heat, he shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $20.
§ 22–1312. Lewd, indecent, or obscene acts; sexual proposal to a minor.
It is unlawful for a person, in public, to make an obscene or indecent exposure of his or her genitalia or anus, to engage in masturbation, or to engage in a sexual act as defined in § 22-3001(8). It is unlawful for a person to make an obscene or indecent sexual proposal to a minor. A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 90 days, or both.
§ 22–1313. Kindling bonfires.
It shall not be lawful for any person or persons within the limits of the District of Columbia to kindle or set on fire, or be present, aiding, consenting, or causing it to be done, in any street, avenue, road, or highway, alley, open ground, or lot, any box, barrel, straw, shavings, or other combustible, between the setting and rising of the sun; and, any person offending against the provisions of this section shall on conviction thereof, forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding $10 for each and every offense.
§ 22–1314. Disturbing religious congregation. [Repealed]
(1) “Health professional” means a person licensed to practice a health occupation in the District pursuant to § 3-1201.01.
(2) “Medical facility” includes a hospital, clinic, physician’s office, or other facility that provides health or surgical services.
(3) “Person” shall not include:
(A) The chief medical officer of the medical facility or his or her designee;
(B) The chief executive officer of the medical facility or his or her designee;
(C) An agent of the medical facility; or
(D) A law enforcement officer in the performance of his or her official duty.
§ 22–1314.02. Prohibited acts.
(a) It shall be unlawful for a person, except as otherwise authorized by District or federal law, alone or in concert with others, to willfully or recklessly interfere with access to or from a medical facility or to willfully or recklessly disrupt the normal functioning of such facility by:
(1) Physically obstructing, impeding, or hindering the free passage of an individual seeking to enter or depart the facility or from the common areas of the real property upon which the facility is located;
(2) Making noise that unreasonably disturbs the peace within the facility;
(3) Trespassing on the facility or the common areas of the real property upon which the facility is located;
(4) Telephoning the facility repeatedly to harass or threaten owners, agents, patients, and employees, or knowingly permitting any telephone under his or her control to be so used for the purpose of threatening owners, agents, patients, and employees; or
(5) Threatening to inflict injury on the owners, agents, patients, employees, or property of the medical facility or knowingly permitting any telephone under his or her control to be used for such purpose.
(b) A person shall not act alone or in concert with others with the intent to prevent a health professional or his or her family from entering or leaving the health professional’s home.
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall not be construed to prohibit any otherwise lawful picketing or assembly.
(d) Any person who violates subsections (a) or (b) of this section, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both.
§ 22–1315. Interference with foreign diplomatic and consular offices, officers, and property — Prohibited. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1316. Interference with foreign diplomatic and consular offices, officers, and property — Penalties; exception. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1317. Flying fire balloons or parachutes.
It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to set up or fly any fire balloon or parachute in or upon or over any street, avenue, alley, open space, public enclosure, or square within the limits of the City of Washington, under a penalty of not more than $10 for each and every such offense.
§ 22–1318. Driving or riding on footways in public grounds.
If any person shall drive or lead any horse, mule, or other animal, or any cart, wagon, or other carriage whatever on any of the paved or graveled footways in and on any of the public grounds belonging to the United States within the District of Columbia, or shall ride thereon, except at the intersection of streets, alleys, and avenues, each and every such offender shall forfeit and pay for each offense a sum not less than $1 nor more than $5.
§ 22–1319. False alarms and false reports; hoax weapons.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to willfully or knowingly give a false alarm of fire within the District of Columbia, and any person or persons violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished by a fine not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. Prosecutions for violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be on information filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
(a-1) It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to willfully or knowingly use, or allow the use of, the 911 call system to make a false or fictitious report or complaint which initiates a response by District of Columbia emergency personnel or officials when, at the time of the call or transmission, the person knows the report or complaint is false. Any person or persons violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished by a fine not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months. Prosecutions for violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be on information filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
(b)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or knowingly make, or cause to be made, a false or fictitious report to any individual which initiates a response by District of Columbia emergency personnel or officials, wherein such report involves, is alleged to involve, or may reasonably be deemed to involve, the delivery, presence, or use of a weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(12), within the District of Columbia.
(2) It shall be a violation of this subsection for any person to willfully and knowingly give, transport, mail, send, or cause to be sent any hoax weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(3), to another person or to place any such hoax weapon of mass destruction in or upon any real or personal property.
(3) Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a misdemeanor and be punished by imprisonment of not more than one year or fined in an amount not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or the costs of responding to and consequential damages resulting from the offense, or both.
(c)(1) It shall be unlawful for anyone to willfully or knowingly, with the intent of intimidating or frightening people, causing panic or civil unrest, extorting profit, or causing economic damage, make, or cause to be made, a false or fictitious report to any individual, which initiates a response by District of Columbia emergency personnel or officials, wherein such report involves, is alleged to involve, or may reasonably be deemed to involve, the delivery, presence, or use of a weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(12), within the District of Columbia.
(2) It shall be a violation of this subsection for any person to willfully or knowingly, with the intent of intimidating or frightening people, causing panic or civil unrest, extorting profit, or causing economic damage, give, transport, mail, send, or cause to be sent any hoax weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(3), to another person or to place any such hoax weapon of mass destruction in or upon any real or personal property.
(3) Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony and may be punished by imprisonment of not more than 5 years or fined in an amount not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or the costs of responding to and consequential damages resulting from the offense, or both.
(d)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or knowingly, during a state of emergency, as declared by the Mayor pursuant to § 7-2304, with the intent of intimidating or frightening people, causing panic or civil unrest, extorting profit, or causing economic damage, make, or cause to be made, a false or fictitious report to any individual, which initiates a response by District of Columbia emergency personnel or officials, wherein such report involves, is alleged to involve, or may reasonably be deemed to involve, the delivery, presence, or use of a weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(12), within the District of Columbia.
(2) It shall be a violation of this subsection for any person to willfully or knowingly, during a state of emergency, as declared by the Mayor pursuant to § 7-2304, with the intent of intimidating or frightening people, causing panic or civil unrest, extorting profit, or causing economic damage, give, transport, mail, send, or cause to be sent any hoax weapon of mass destruction, as defined by § 22-3152(3), to another person or to place any such hoax weapon of mass destruction in or upon any real or personal property.
(3) Any person violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony and may be punished by imprisonment of not more than 10 years or fined in an amount not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or the cost of responding to and consequential damages resulting from the offense, or both.
(e) For the purposes of subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this section, the manner in which the false or fictitious report is communicated may include, but is not limited to:
(1) A writing;
(2) An electronic transmission producing a visual, audio, or written result;
(3) An oral statement; or
(4) A signing.
(f) There is jurisdiction to prosecute any person who participates in the commission of any offense described in this section if any act in furtherance of the offense occurs in the District of Columbia or where the effect of any act in furtherance of the offense occurs in the District of Columbia.
§ 22–1320. Sale of tobacco to minors under 18 years of age.
(a) In any place open to the general public, and in the communal areas of multi-unit housing, it is unlawful for a person to:
(1) Intentionally or recklessly act in such a manner as to cause another person to be in reasonable fear that a person or property in a person’s immediate possession is likely to be harmed or taken;
(2) Incite or provoke violence where there is a likelihood that such violence will ensue; or
(3) Direct abusive or offensive language or gestures at another person (other than a law enforcement officer while acting in his or her official capacity) in a manner likely to provoke immediate physical retaliation or violence by that person or another person.
(b) It is unlawful for a person to engage in loud, threatening, or abusive language, or disruptive conduct, with the intent and effect of impeding or disrupting the orderly conduct of a lawful public gathering, or of a congregation of people engaged in any religious service or in worship, a funeral, or similar proceeding.
(c) It is unlawful for a person to engage in loud, threatening, or abusive language, or disruptive conduct with the intent and effect of impeding or disrupting the lawful use of a public conveyance by one or more other persons.
(c-1) It is unlawful for a person to engage in loud, threatening, or abusive language, or disruptive conduct in a public building with the intent and effect of impeding or disrupting the orderly conduct of business in that public building.
(d) It is unlawful for a person to make an unreasonably loud noise between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. that is likely to annoy or disturb one or more other persons in their residences.
(e) It is unlawful for a person to urinate or defecate in public, other than in a urinal or toilet.
(f) It is unlawful for a person to stealthily look into a window or other opening of a dwelling, as defined in § 6-101.07, under circumstances in which an occupant would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. It is not necessary that the dwelling be occupied at the time the person looks into the window or other opening.
(g) It is unlawful, under circumstances whereby a breach of the peace may be occasioned, to interfere with any person in any public place by jostling against the person, unnecessarily crowding the person, or placing a hand in the proximity of the person’s handbag, pocketbook, or wallet.
(h) A person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.
§ 22–1322. Rioting or inciting to riot.
(a) A riot in the District of Columbia is a public disturbance involving an assemblage of 5 or more persons which by tumultuous and violent conduct or the threat thereof creates grave danger of damage or injury to property or persons.
(b) Whoever willfully engages in a riot in the District of Columbia shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 180 days or a fine of not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both.
(c) Whoever willfully incites or urges other persons to engage in a riot shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 180 days or a fine of not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both.
(d) If in the course and as a result of a riot a person suffers serious bodily harm or there is property damage in excess of $5,000, every person who willfully incited or urged others to engage in the riot shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both.
(e) A law enforcement officer's failure to comply with the requirements of § 5-331.07 shall be a defense in prosecutions for violations of subsection (b) or (c) of this section.
§ 22–1323. Obstructing bridges connecting D.C. and Virginia.
Effective with respect to conduct occurring on or after August 5, 1997, whoever in the District of Columbia knowingly and willfully obstructs any bridge connecting the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Virginia:
(1) Shall be fined not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000, and in addition may be imprisoned not more than 30 days; or
(2) If applicable, shall be subject to prosecution by the District of Columbia under the provisions of District law and regulation amended by the Safe Streets Anti-Prostitution Amendment Act of 1996.
(3) The fine set forth in this section shall not be limited by § 22-3571.01.
