Unauthorized fireworks in Rome reportedly sparked a chaotic stampede of horses during a late-night practice session for Italy’s Republic Day parade, leading to injuries among riders and horses.
This alarming event unfolded late Friday near the historic Baths of Caracalla. Mounted units from Italy’s military and law enforcement were rehearsing for the June 2 national celebration, according to Reuters.
Approximately 35 horses dashed through the city streets in panic after the sudden fireworks display. Video footage captured the pandemonium, showing horses sprinting down Via Cristoforo Colombo as onlookers filmed the unexpected spectacle.
Efforts to locate and recover the scattered horses reportedly continued until dawn the following day, with the final horse found nearly nine miles away from the initial scene.
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A runaway horse is seen racing down a road during the late-night ceremonial rehearsal in Rome around May 29, 2026. (Lucio Virzi Fotografo/REUTERS)
According to Reuters, the sudden bangs began shortly before 11:30 p.m. and triggered panic among the ceremonial horses, many of which were being escorted by Italy’s Army, Carabinieri paramilitary police, and state police.
Some riders were mounted, while others were leading horses by hand when the startled animals broke free, the outlet said.
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During the chaos, a 22-year-old soldier reportedly suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, though officials said his injuries were not life-threatening. At least 15 horses were also injured, though none required euthanasia, according to reports.
Italian outlet ANSA said the stampede injured three young soldiers from the Montebello Lancers and a 29-year-old policewoman.
Police and emergency crews station near a road as panicked horses flee down a Rome road on May 29, 2026. (Lucio Virzi Fotografo/via REUTERS)
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Officials are reviewing how the unauthorized fireworks were ignited near the rehearsal site.
The Rome Local Police Command said four traffic police officers were involved in the incident and were reportedly near the firecrackers when the explosion occurred, ANSA said.
Officials said one of the officers allegedly lit a battery of fireworks about 200 yards from the horses, the outlet reported. The officer was identified as a 50-year-old who joined the force after passing the most recent exam.
Video footage and witness statements suggest the explosions and the horses’ escape occurred simultaneously, according to the local report.
The Italian Air Force acrobatic team “Frecce Tricolori” seen during Italy’s annual Republic Day on June 2, 2025. (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Rome police commander Mario De Sclavis told Corriere della Sera that the incident “discredits the image of the Corps and its officers,” according to Reuters.
Sclavis added that the agency will take “necessary measures” to hold those responsible accountable, according to ANSA.
“Last night’s events hit us like a tsunami,” he said.
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