When a group violently attacks a government institution in an effort to change the lawful governmental order, it is insurrection, says an expert on the US Constitution. “We’re experiencing a period of public political protest like nothing in recent memory,” says Greg Magarian, professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. “It has never been more important than it is at this moment to distinguish among different kinds of public political action.” “When a group violently attacks a government institution in an effort to change the lawful governmental order, that’s insurrection. It’s terrorism.” Protest is when people assemble and speak lawfully in public, he says. “Protesters may form in large groups. They may use harsh language. They may scream at law enforcement officers. That’s all still protest. It’s all perfectly lawful and Constitutionally protected.”