A pillow fight in London's Trafalgar Square in London, April 7, 2012.
Organized through Facebook and other forms of social media, the flashmob fights are often surprises for an unsuspecting public caught on a field of sudden battle. In Shanghai, as MSNBC.com reports, the cushy conflict was hastily broken up by police after just five minutes.
If you are unfamiliar or unprepared, don't worry; Pillowfightday.com has a handy guide plus a list of cities that are participating. "Never ask permission" is one of the tips the site offers.
There are rules, however, and WHYY's Newsworks site helpfully supplies some important ones:
Bring a soft pillow with a clean cover, sans feathers if possible.
No foreign objects in the cases: pillows only.
Be discrete prior to the event and keep all pillows secured.
Only hit others who also have a pillow.
Please, no beanbag chairs or body pillows.
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