Volunteers wishing to clean up the damaged caused by the London riots were turned away due to health and safety concerns.
Officers told a group of 20 volunteers at Peckham High Street that they could not clean the streets because there was "lots of broken glass around."
However, volunteers are still helping to clean the sidestreets that have not been blocked off by police.
"Even if we can't to do the glory jobs we can still contribute to our community," said James Walker, who helped organise one of the cleanups.
After three nights of rioting throughout the capital, those wanting to help took to social media to create groups to clean up the city.
Groups met in areas including Camden and Bethall Green, as well as Birmingham, another UK city plagued by violence.
On Twitter, people used the hashtags: #londoncleanup and #riotcleanup to organise.
artistsmakers wrote: "Things you can do to help the #riotcleanup – check on elderly neighbours please, make tea for Police, get outside and don't be scared."
"So proud of everyone helping in the cleanup: hopefully will make rioters realise they can't 'win," tweeted direbonappetit.
A website, riotcleanup.com, was also set up to get people on the streets to help with the clean up.
“This is not about the riots. This is about the clean up – Londoners who care, coming together to engender a sense of community," said the website, which has a list of upcoming cleanups.
