Reports seem to indicate that there are twice as many police on the streets tonight. That in combination with the rain earlier are probably the reasons why the riots didn't escalate and seem to have come to a good fizzled end or been put on pause (hopefully, probably, the former).
The anger in the community where the Pakistani men were killed is still strong and there's no guarantee of things returning relatively "back to normal" from here on out despite tonight's calmness, so everyone will likely continue to remain vigilant. But hopefully, the local businesses can begin keeping regular hours soon and return to their previous level of customers. It's been a hard blow to the city financially in particular.
But the riots have done what widespread hardship and fear always do--brought people together. Lifelong Brummies are sad to see their city in such disorder and under attack by its own, but citizens have stood alongside each other to protect their businesses and the peace of their communities. Today, a large group of young people took to the streets in one area to help businesses with whatever cleaning they needed post-attack--partly to give aid and partly to give support in the form of unity.
So, soon, the work will begin to rebuild--physically and otherwise--when the streets again become safe. But even tonight, some locals were reveling in the unexpected calm of the dark hours: A group of seven drunk, pub-song-singing Brummies filled Bromsgrove Street with a siren of hope that peace has perhaps been restored. The joyous chorus of the friends bounced between the high walls of the hotel and the apartment building until the parking deck gate was lifted below so that they could return to their rooms. Their voices filled the stairwell and emitted like smoke as they exited the doorway, streaming below me on the dark pavement, never quieting.
I doubt anyone on Bromsgrove Street really minded tonight.
