Roman ‘Centurions’ Battle Police In Colosseum Protest
Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
Visitors to the Colosseum in Rome on Thursday witnessed a live “battle” erupt before their eyes, after dozens of Roman centurion impersonators began fighting with Italian police officers inside the ancient monument – after a protest against a government ban on their work.
Visitors to the Colosseum in Rome on Thursday witnessed a live “battle” erupt before their eyes, after dozens of Roman centurion impersonators began fighting with Italian police officers inside the ancient monument – after a protest against a government ban on their work.
The “centurions”, who had stood outside the popular tourist destination for years to pose for photos, had shown up to demand that the government officially legitimise their profession, which was now under threat following a ban on commercial activity in front of the nation’s historical monuments that began on April 4th.
And when two “centurions” decided to continue their protest inside the Colosseum itself, Italian police officers were quickly called onto the scene to break up the demonstration.
Some 25 “centurions”, dressed in period outfits – including plastic swords and plumed helmets, tried to prevent the police from entering the Colosseum to evict the errant pair, which resulted in a scuffle outside the monument’s premises.
Related: Occupy The Toilet! Female Students In China Protest Gender Inequality By Occupying Men’s Bathrooms
Related: China Jails Activist Granny for Organising Protests
Related: Naked Politician Protests as Loss-Making Bankers Take Fat Bonuses
The incident soon attracted a crowd of onlookers, with several tourists seen cheering on the “centurions”, while others chanted in Italian: “Leave them alone. We are all centurions!”
Italian authorities later asserted that the “centurions” had been there illegally, with many impersonators having been fined the previous week already for lacking the work permits required to perform outside the monument.
[quote]“We will not let ourselves be blackmailed. Either the centurions accept the rules or they will have to go,” said Rome’s mayor Gianni Alemanno, as cited by Reuters. [/quote]Italy’s culture ministry added that the men often harassed and stalked tourists, asking for exorbitant amounts for photographs, while spoiling the historic image of the centurion by wearing jeans under their skirts and running shoes instead of the classic Roman “caliga” leather sandals.
In 2007, a “centurion” was arrested for attacking a couple of tourists, while there have been reported cases of “centurions” refusing to return tourists’ cameras until money had been handed over.
A spokesman for the protestors, David Sonnino, however insisted that the protestors were there only because of broken promises from the government to legitimise their profession, and would stay until they received “a written assurance” that they would soon receive permits to work.
“Rome city hall had agreed to give a work permit to historical impersonators like centurions. But these are just promises. The last negotiation was yesterday. We still haven’t received anything concrete,” said Sonnino to AFP.
[quote]”We want rules, we want to pay taxes!” he added.[/quote]Another “centurion”, who identified himself only as Davide, also told Reuters that the government ban meant that many of his fellow performers’ way of living had been affected, and quicker action needed to be taken to grant them work permits.
“All of a sudden, after 17 years, they want to kick us out. It’s absurd,” said Davide.
[quote]”I have been making my living like this, I have supported my wife, my children … and now they tell me: ‘You are out’. This is not possible. We want to be regularized and we want our bread,” he claimed.[/quote]
