Gladiatorial gangsters
August 13, 2011
The mock-gladiators who roam the streets of Italy's capital posing for pictures with tourists - for a fee, of course - fought very real turf-battles to defend their livelihoods, until an undercover police operation foiled their Roman racket this week.
Police disguised as gladiators, refuse collectors and passers-by combined to catch the gladiator gangs in the act. Those police disguised as rival gladiators were beaten up by the allegedly criminal performers, but then their colleagues swept in and cuffed the Colosseum characters.
It's believed that performers from seven families, possibly in cahoots with five tourist agencies, would attack, intimidate and sometimes extort their rivals. Police in Rome, who confirmed the sting on Friday, said they had been tipped off by five would-be competitors who had been vanquished by the established gladiators.
The period performers can be found at several key sites - including the Colosseum, Piazza Venezia, Castel Sant'Angelo and even in front of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican - often earning up to 10 euros ($14) for a commemorative photo with one of the millions of tourists who visit Rome each year.
Author: Mark Hallam (AFP, DAPD)
Editor: Sarah Harman