What does 'unlawful assembly' refer to?

Unlawful assembly is specifically defined as the act of assembling with a purpose that includes the intent to commit a crime or to violate specific laws in a group setting. In Missouri, this means that when six or more individuals gather with the intention of engaging in unlawful conduct or to commit a criminal act, they can be charged with unlawful assembly.

This definition highlights the significance of the assembly's intent; it must not be a peaceful protest or gathering without any criminal purpose. The mere fact of people gathering in groups does not qualify as unlawful assembly unless there is an illegal intention involved. Therefore, the concept of unlawful assembly is closely tied to the number of people involved and the objective they aim to achieve, which aligns perfectly with the choice identifying the grouping in relation to the violation of criminal laws.