Orange fighters beat one another to a pulp

The Battaglia delle arance is an age-old celebration and the largest food fight in Italy. Thousands came together at Ivrea to participate in this year's 'fight'.

Dressed up as Middle Age kings' guards, a group of men ride in a horse-drawn carriage and pelt 'foot soldiers' with oranges as thousands of people gather to re-enact a Middle Age battle when the townsfolk of Ivrea overthrew an evil king. In a strange twist, instead of swords and cross bows, these days the weapons of choice are oranges.

The festival ships in 57,000 crates, or 400 tons of oranges, The Daily Mail reported.

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Italians hold an orange battle during a carnival in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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A member of a rival team fights with oranges during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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A member of a rival team takes a break during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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A member of a rival team takes a break during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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A member of a rival team takes oranges from the ground during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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Italians hold an orange battle during a carnival in Ivrea

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A member of a rival team fights with oranges during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.

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Italians hold an orange battle during a carnival in the northern Italian town of Ivrea.