ROME, May 31 – An unauthorized fireworks display by a traffic officer during a nighttime practice session for Italy’s Republic Day parade caused dozens of ceremonial horses to panic and stampede through Rome’s streets, according to police reports.
The sudden explosions occurred just before 11:30 p.m. on Friday, frightening the horses during their rehearsal. Some animals carried mounted riders while others were being guided on foot when the chaos erupted.
Approximately 35 horses escaped onto the heavily traveled Via Cristoforo Colombo, where motorists captured video footage of the animals racing down the roadway. Recovery efforts continued through the night, with the final horse located at sunrise roughly 14 kilometers (9 miles) away from where the incident began.
Multiple riders were thrown from their mounts during the stampede. A 22-year-old soldier sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung but remains in stable condition. About 15 horses suffered injuries, though none required euthanization.
Mario De Sclavis, commander of Rome’s police force, expressed his concerns to Sunday’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, stating that the incident “discredits the image of the Corps and its officers.”
The unauthorized pyrotechnics were ignited close to the historic Baths of Caracalla, where mounted cavalry from the army, Carabinieri paramilitary force and police were practicing for the annual June 2 parade.
Authorities confirmed that a municipal policeman from the traffic emergency unit had detonated a battery of fireworks approximately 200 meters (yards) away from the horses.
