of vigilantes. Vigilante justice often describes the actions of a single person or group of people who claim to enforce the law but lack the legal authority to do so. However, the term can also describe a general state of disarray or lawlessness, in which competing groups of people all claim to enforce the law in a given area.

Vigilante
Someone who personally claims to enforce law and order, but lacks legal authority to do so. Vigilantes operate by using actual or threatened force, and are distinguished from people who simply watch out for criminal behavior and report it to the police. Vigilantes are often motivated by a desire to avenge a perceived harm or injustice.