Imagine standing before an iconic piece of Baroque architecture — and starting a giant fight. That’s effectively what happened earlier this month at the Trevi Fountain in Rome, where a 44-year-old American woman and a 19-year-old Dutch woman got into a violent argument over the best selfie spot.
On Facebook, Rome police wrote that the two tourists started “to jostle and get slapped and punched” on August 8 after trying to get the best angle to photograph the fountain behind them.
Their families soon joined in, and authorities say the fight between the two women eventually spiralled into an eight-person melee involving two 17-year-old Americans, the 13-year-old sister of the Dutch tourist, and a few others.
The brawl was stopped after two officials on duty at the scene intervened, according to police, who also noted that there were no major injuries other than some reported bruises.
There’s a video of the incident, which took place right in front of the fountain, purportedly the best spot to take a selfie. It’s a remarkably aggressive contrast to the glittering water in the background, proving that even the most breathtaking sights can’t overpower the unbridled need for the perfect shot.