115 cities around the world celebrated this international holiday.
Fierce battles broke out in city centres across the globe today – as the feathers flew for the fifth annual International Pillow Fight Day.
From Europe to Asia, America to the Middle East, thousands took up arms and gathered in public squares to batter complete strangers in the name of fun.
Streets in 115 cities across 39 countries lay littered with downy debris after the coordinated fights, which were once again organised as part of the Urban Playground Movement.
In London, warriors returned to the past battleground of Trafalgar Square, while elsewhere in the UK clashes in Birmingham and Liverpool were also planned via social media.
It took officers in Shanghai just five minutes to crack down on a small number of playful fighters after the first blows landed in the city’s People’s Square.
The global event’s website offers no explanation as to exactly why so many people might wish to take part, instead taking it as a given that few would turn down the opportunity to relive riotous childhood sleepovers.
And though chaotic fun is the name of the game, there are a few ground rules set out.
For a start, the online ‘how to’ guide advises fighters never to ask permission. It speaks of a so-called ‘permit culture’ that could see the bedding brawls stamped out if authorities were given prior warning, defending public assembly as a ‘human right’.
As for the rules of engagement, suggested etiquette includes using only soft pillows, swinging lightly and removing glasses before battle commences.
The fights are supposed to be free to enter, appropriate for all ages and held on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon.
And, to the delight of many would-be war photographers, the suggested ‘feather-free pillows only’ rule appears to have been flouted, leading to striking images of white flurries exploding from the combat zone.
