Overview
- Police said a municipal traffic officer lit a battery of fireworks about 200 metres from mounted units rehearsing near the Baths of Caracalla and the loud bangs frightened the horses.
- About 35 horses bolted onto Via Cristoforo Colombo and into heavy traffic as drivers filmed the animals running through the city.
- Several riders were thrown and treated, including a 22-year-old soldier with broken ribs and a punctured lung who is in stable condition.
- Roughly 15 horses were injured but none were euthanized, and officers recovered the last missing horse at dawn about 14 km from the rehearsal site.
- Rome’s police commander publicly condemned the episode as damaging to the Corps and officials have identified the responsible officer as investigations and administrative steps proceed ahead of the June 2 parade.