Armed with pillows, teens swarm on Trastevere to do battle

By Antonio Moura Santos

ROME, April 16 - On an unseasonably warm March afternoon, the cries of about four dozen teenagers engulfed Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere. Taking up both ends of the square, two groups faced off against each other like they were re-enacting a scene from Braveheart or some other epic war movie.

After much mocking and sneering at each other, an intermediary finally stepped in between the two groups of excitable youngsters, demanding silence of both parties.

He is young and jovial and knows to put emphasis on certain words that may need particular “oomph” as he delivers his orders. Soon, there’s a palpable tension in the air.