“All of a sudden, after 17 years, they want to kick us out. It’s absurd,”
said one irate centurion who identified himself only as Davide.
“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 regularised and we want our bread,” he said. “In Venice
they have the gondoliers and in Rome we have the centurions. That’s it.”
And, as in ancient Roman clashes in the same amphitheatre, the crowd of
onlookers took sides and gave an unequivocal thumbs down to those wearing
the modern uniforms.
“Leave them alone. We are all centurions,” the crowd chanted in
Italian.
But Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno, a member of Italy’s largest right-wing party,
was having none of it.
He said the men had to abide by rules that would be imposed by the city,
including permits and rules of conduct.
“We will not let ourselves be blackmailed. Either the centurions accept
the rules or they will have to go,” he said in a statement.
Caesar could not have been more resolute.
Source: Reuters