Violence Quelled As Cops Warn Off Vigilantes

A massive police presence has succeeded in preventing a fifth night of rioting - and appears to have brought an end to the worst of the disorder.

The only unrest in London on Wednesday night was confined to Eltham in the southeast of the city. Ironically, it was an apparent attempt at community protection which ended in a confrontation with the police.

Around 100 local men in Eltham took to the streets, warning that they were willing to confront anyone planning to riot in the borough.

When challenged by the police and asked to go home, officers were pelted with bottles and cans. After a tense two-hour stand-off, the group eventually dispersed.

Police in Lewisham, also in southeast London, escorted a group of about 50 black youths who said they were on a "peaceful protest against the English Defence League".

There was no violence among that group, which was outnumbered by police.

Senior officers told Sky News they had sufficient resources to prevent further trouble, and around 30 police forces have sent officers to reinforce their Metropolitan Police colleagues.

Officers are warning local residents not to take matters into their own hands, to leave the policing of the streets to them, and most people are willing to heed that advice - for now at least.

But when police numbers inevitably begin to reduce, if trouble flares again, the vigilantes will be back - and it is premature to suggest that things in the capital have returned to normal.

The sight of thousands of police on the streets is certainly not normal, nor is the image of whole streets shuttered-up, shops closed early for fear of violence.

Groups of worried residents gathering on street corners is another indication that things are still far from normal.

Senior police commanders, though, have a growing sense of hope that we may have turned a corner, but they are not complacent.

This weekend, a week on from the start of the riots, could prove challenging.

For the moment at least, the huge policing effort will remain in place. But no one is trying to pretend that such an intensive operation can be sustained over the long term.

The short-term strategy is to continue with a robust and well-resourced police presence.

The long-term hope seems to be that this short-term strategy will provide enough time to take the sting out of the current situation, to allow tempers to cool and convince those taking part in disorder that the consequences for their actions will be severe.