Tourists Brawl Over Selfie Spot at Rome's Trevi Fountain

Image: Trevi Fountain, the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. (Photo via ventdusud / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: Trevi Fountain, the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world. (Photo via ventdusud / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 6:07 PM ET, Fri August 10, 2018

Tourists have been known to go some extreme lengths for the perfect selfie. However, two women resorted to exchanging blows at Rome's Trevi Fountain, sparking an eight-person brawl earlier this week.

According to The Guardian, a 19-year-old woman from the Netherlands and a 44-year-old Italian-American woman were posing for selfies at the historic site Wednesday evening, a popular time of day for selfie-takers as the sunlight strikes the fountain just right.

Seeking out the same exact prime spot, the women exchanged words before physically fighting. That's when their respective family members joined in.

A total of four police officers were needed to break up the brawl. The eight tourists reportedly sustained only bruises and were later charged for the violence.

The timing of the brawl couldn't be worse for tourists hoping to get up close with the fountain as city officials were already weighing the possibility of installing a route that would force visitors to bypass the fountain without stopping as overcrowding has become a serious issue.

City council member Andrea Coia told La Repubblica newspaper that the "situation has become unlivable."

Unsurprisingly, online travel agent Agoda recently revealed taking selfies is the world's fifth-most annoying travel habit.


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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