Civil unrest results from unresolved disputes and can result in organized mass gatherings and protests. This which could lead to violent public disturbances, destruction of property and compromised safety of bystanders or participating individuals; also known as a riot. Riots pose as a challenge to the emergency medical system partly because of the large number of casualties often involved but also due to the the lack of physician familiarity with the full extent of injuries caused by weapons used by security forces to incapacitate rioters. The existing literature that describes the impact of riots on the medical system is limited and might be setting specific in terms of types of injuries and resources utilized.

We studied the riot in Beirut that took place during the summer on 2015. The Emergency Department (ED) at the American University of Beirut Medical Center was the main ED in the area to receive casualty patients from the riot related casualties because of geographic proximity to the events.

This study therefore aims to examine describes impact of riot type mass casualty event by examining patients’ characteristics, injury patterns, ED management and clinical outcomes of affected victims injury.

Patients presenting to our ED with riot related injury

Chart review was conducted on all patients who arrived to the ED between August 22nd and August 29th 2015 to obtain all the riot related injuries