"You're going nowhere, son. Just you, me ad the walls. So wipe that bloody grin off before it's shot off, and don't slouch. You toe rag. You bin. Pay attention when I break you. And break you I will, boy. You're in my manor, now." Buck up! It's Terry Finch's THE REPRISALIZER! Follow Bob Shuter, whose mission of reprisal against his brother's killers, their families, associates, progeny and property takes him across the desolate wasteland of 70s Britain, primarily Kent AKA FINCHLAND. Finch, writer of The Reprisalizer and DRAW!, the cowboy whose name means death, is soon to be the subject of a major motion picture from Matthew Holness, creator of Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.
posted by Artw on Dec 13, 2011 - 15 comments

Phoenix Jones, the real life superhero who's been in the news (and previously on the blue) for his vigilante work in Seattle, was arrested for pepper-spraying four people outside a nightclub... and his secret identity revealed. [more inside]
posted by Halloween Jack on Oct 11, 2011 - 125 comments

"I assume capes aren't functional because they can get snagged on things." A fascinating article by Jon Ronson profiling costumed avengers in the real-life superhero movement. Also: Why Doesn't Batman Kill? and Teaching Philosophy With Spiderman. [more inside]
posted by Bora Horza Gobuchul on Aug 12, 2011 - 90 comments

The 8 Most Awesome Examples of Internet Vigilantism. Contains a heady mix of justice and harrassment.
posted by mippy on Jul 2, 2009 - 62 comments

Become a Virtual Texas Deputy! (via)
posted by cjorgensen on Feb 23, 2009 - 50 comments

Ellie Nesler, "Vigilante Mom", dead at 56. From her arrest in April 1993 to her conviction on manslaughter charges six months later, Nesler's image morphed from avenger and victim to talk-show trophy and movie-of-the-week heroine, and finally to meth-head and motorcycle mama. The movie-of-the-week earned bad reviews. Her long, strange story is over, but the son she declared she was protecting grew up to commit murder himself. In prison for 25-to-life, he has a myspace page.
posted by wendell on Dec 29, 2008 - 22 comments

It started in 2006 as a small group of women angry at corrupt officials in the Banda district, Uttar Pradesh (the Indian state that brought you Phoolan Devi). Led by a former tea vendor, Sampat Devi Pal (badass, Magnificent 7-like picture here), the Gulabi gang counts now hundreds of women, dressed in fluorescent pink and ready to use their lathi to fight corruption, domestic violence, child marriage and the many other ills that affect their society.
posted by elgilito on Mar 15, 2008 - 38 comments

Many business owners have struggled with crime in their communities and the impact that can have on their business- but when the police have their hands full, sometimes your complaints just fall through the cracks. One Atlanta bar owner has taken matters into his own hands by building a crime-fighting vigilante robot.
posted by baphomet on Feb 26, 2008 - 70 comments

On September 7, Brett Darrow drew national attention when he recorded video of an abusive police officer threatening to lock him up on "made-up" charges. The police officer was subsequently fired.

Now, the local police are staking out his home. [more inside]
posted by LordSludge on Sep 27, 2007 - 144 comments

Throw Away The Key dot org seeks to lengthen the sentences of criminals on the premise of their mission statement: "Incarceration Works!" From their site: "If you believe a girl should be able to walk down the street in broad daylight without being abducted and murdered by a convicted felon, then it is time for you to get involved."
posted by fandango_matt on Nov 29, 2005 - 28 comments

Sometimes life throws us little changeups. We just want to get through the day, eat some fudge maybe. Yet the call for action and justice makes us put down the divinity, pick up the camera, and dispense a little homestyle justice. Gotta remember Grandpa's admonitions though: pimpin' ain't easy.
posted by DeepFriedTwinkies on Mar 4, 2005 - 7 comments

Think of the children.
posted by metaforth on Sep 14, 2002 - 37 comments

Neighbour jailed for branding pedophile's genitals. A man attacks his two young nephews and his neighbours find out and burn him with a hot spatula as punishment. The neighbour is then imprisoned. I realise this is vigilante justice and on an intellectual level, it's wrong, but emotionally I'm finding it hard to muster much sympathy for people who attack kids and face a backlash like this. What are your reactions?
posted by Jubey on Aug 29, 2002 - 45 comments