Piazza Espagna

Wednesday night my roommates and a few friends went to Piazza Espagna and the Spanish Steps. Even for a Wednesday the stairs were rather full of people and definitely filled with life. The atmosphere was jovial and there were several people having different conversations about their day, about what they were doing later, and about the upcoming weekend. One person was playing the guitar and the ambiance was enjoyed by everyone on the stairs. Two police officers patrolled, more like stood and talked amongst themselves, and observed the area from the second landing on the stairs. Within ten minutes of our arrival when we had just settled down to enjoy a bottle of wine the officers approached the man playing the guitar. The man stopped playing and just as the polizia told him he could not play the guitar anymore the whole population on the stairs began to boo. The officers ignored this completely and told the man he had to stop playing. I still have no idea why there was no music allowed. Was it because the songs annoyed the officers? Was there a complaint from one person? Is drinking alcohol on the stairs more legal than playing the guitar? I have no idea but whatever the reason the policy made the officers the most unpopular people in the Piazza.