HaloBearers Unite: Help Reopen Angelo Mai for Sylvia De Fanti’s Birthday
The Warrior Nun fandom has always shown how powerful a community can be when it comes together. This year, in honor of Sylvia De Fanti’s birthday, HaloBearers are uniting to support a place that is deeply meaningful to her: Angelo Mai, the independent cultural and artistic center she helped establish in Rome.
Sara, a HaloBearer from Italy, recently contacted us about the urgent situation facing the organization: “The cultural and artistic center she founded, Angelo Mai, has been shut down by the Rome Police Headquarters for the fourth time. It’s an unfair and frustrating act of harassment. They’ve launched a fundraiser to support a future reopening, and the place is deeply loved by many.”
Donate to the Angelo Mai fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/sostieni-la-riapertura-dellangelo-mai
Sylvia De Fanti Birthday Message: tinyurl.com/Message2Sylvia
What Is Angelo Mai?
Located on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla in Rome, Angelo Mai is an underground cultural center, concert venue and independent social space. For 22 years, it has supported culture, artistic research, community, social rights and creative freedom.
It has become an important meeting place for artists, performers, cultural workers, activists and members of the surrounding community. More than simply a venue, Angelo Mai describes itself as a living network of people and ideas dedicated to maintaining an open, independent and inclusive cultural space.
Why Was Angelo Mai Closed?
During the night of June 27–28, 2026, officers from the Rome Police Headquarters placed the entire venue under preventive seizure after an inspection reportedly identified deficiencies involving safety regulations.
The Angelo Mai collective says it had already spent more than a year undertaking a difficult and costly process to bring the venue into compliance. The closure occurred while the organization was also dealing with unresolved administrative issues concerning the formal assignment of the property, rent, past-due payments and an installment agreement with the Municipality of Rome.
The closure affects the entire facility, including its theater and outdoor area. Without the ability to hold performances, concerts and cultural programming, Angelo Mai cannot generate the income needed to complete the required renovations or cover the financial obligations that continue while the venue remains closed.
Photo from Angelo Mai Facebook Page
“Tonight, the Police Headquarters placed Angelo Mai under seizure.”
Rome Police Headquarters
Administrative and Security Police Division
“Operational Unit”
Premises placed under preventive seizure pursuant to Article 321, paragraph 3, of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure on June 28, 2026.
Anyone who breaks or tampers with the official seals will be punished under Article 349 of the Italian Criminal Code.
Photo from Angelo Mai Facebook Page
Seals placed on the Arci Angelo Mai club
The cultural center, “already evicted three times,” has been seized
The Arci Angelo Mai club on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla was placed under seizure during the night between Saturday and Sunday. The Police Headquarters’ action was part of inspections ordered at venues following the Crans-Montana tragedy.
The collective itself announced the closure in a lengthy social-media post, explaining that the venue was sealed because the cultural space was allegedly not compliant, despite work begun over the past year to bring it up to code.
In the post, the collective describes a complicated situation caused by the City’s failure to make a final assignment of the premises. It calls the seizure “persecution” against Angelo Mai:
“Once again, they have managed to shut down that space. Precisely in these days, after a thousand difficulties, we were close to completing the assignment process. This seizure of the space is another act of persecution against an organization that has already been evicted three times, arrested, and repeatedly targeted in a pretextual and violent manner, but which has nevertheless remained resilient for 22 years.”
The Urgent Effort to Reopen
Angelo Mai must now raise money for safety improvements, technical work, administrative procedures, professional consultations and the certifications required before the seizure can be lifted.
Funds are also needed to keep the organization operating during the closure.
The collective has endured three previous evictions, legal challenges and repeated attempts to shut it down, but it has continued its work for more than two decades. Members of Italy’s artistic and entertainment community—including Anna Foglietta, Paola Turci and rapper Gemitaiz—have publicly called for its reopening.
Following a July 1 public gathering and a strong response to the crowdfunding campaign, Angelo Mai shared this message with its supporters:
“During these very difficult days, your support has remained strong and clear. From the July 1 gathering to the tremendous response to our request for help through crowdfunding, you have never left us alone.”
“Your support, your presence and your trust give us the strength to keep resisting.”
In questi giorni così difficili, la vostra vicinanza continua a essere forte e chiara. Dall'assemblea del 1° luglio alla grande risposta alla nostra richiesta di aiuto attraverso il crowdfunding, non ci avete mai lasciate sole.
Speriamo di potervi dare presto notizie positive. In questa attesa, intanto, vi ringraziamo profondamente. Il vostro sostegno, la vostra presenza e la vostra fiducia ci danno la forza di continuare a resistere.
During these very difficult days, your support has remained strong and clear. From the July 1 gathering to the tremendous response to our request for help through crowdfunding, you have never left us alone.
We hope to be able to share positive news with you soon. In the meantime, as we wait, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your support, your presence, and your trust give us the strength to keep resisting.
A Birthday Gift from the Warrior Nun Fandom
For Sylvia De Fanti’s birthday, we are inviting HaloBearers around the world to help support the reopening of Angelo Mai.
During Witchbomb, the fandom’s messages and donations will be presented to Sylvia as a collective birthday gift—a meaningful way to celebrate her while supporting a cultural community that has been part of her life and work for many years.
There are two ways to participate:
Donate to the Angelo Mai fundraiser:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sostieni-la-riapertura-dellangelo-mai
Add a personal birthday or support message:
Leave a message to be included with the fandom’s gift during Witchbomb at tinyurl.com/Message2Sylvia
Every contribution matters, regardless of its size. Those who cannot donate can still help by sharing the fundraiser, spreading the story and adding a message of encouragement.
For 22 years, Angelo Mai has created space for art, expression, community and resistance. Together, the Warrior Nun fandom can help ensure that its story does not end here.
Help Angelo Mai reopen. Donate, share and let Sylvia know that the HaloBearers are standing with her.