Having traveled in such tout-rich environments as the former Soviet Union and Turkey, I can say with certainty that none I encountered were ever armed. At least, it never came to that. Incidentally, Turkey beats the FSU in the critical tout categories of creativity and cheerfulness-in-rejection.
I would certainly think twice about trying to limit their livelihood, as apparently is the case in Rome, where Italian police recently gave the thumbs-down to various gentlemen who array themselves in various types of Roman armor (and occasional weaponry) and pose for fees of various amounts with various tourists outside the Colosseum. It's uncertain what the fate of these erstwhile Praetorians will be, but I'm sure some form of this activity will persist regardless of the official attitude, and that's fine. It would take an entire, well, legion of cheesy reenactors on Vespas to detract from the glory that is Rome.
I would certainly think twice about trying to limit their livelihood, as apparently is the case in Rome, where Italian police recently gave the thumbs-down to various gentlemen who array themselves in various types of Roman armor (and occasional weaponry) and pose for fees of various amounts with various tourists outside the Colosseum. It's uncertain what the fate of these erstwhile Praetorians will be, but I'm sure some form of this activity will persist regardless of the official attitude, and that's fine. It would take an entire, well, legion of cheesy reenactors on Vespas to detract from the glory that is Rome.
