He's probably waiting for them to punch themselves tired or, he's waiting to add to the provocateur's victims to overstep their bounds for a collective board vacation. 
I've pondered the same thing. The fact the lift was "temporary" would indicate the hammer is perhaps being raised for an even higher swing.
I've also thought that it might be someone's thesis if they were getting a doctorate in social psychology. Seeing that this BBS was basically sanitized prior to the temporary lift it might make an interesting starting point for a social experiment..... but that's the scientist in me. Also not my field, so meh.
Also, HT could just be sick of babysitting. Occam's Razor; this is probably the most direct conclusion.
