A nighttime rehearsal for the Italian Republic Day parade descended into chaos in Rome when unauthorized fireworks caused panic among dozens of horses participating in the ceremony.
The incident occurred Friday evening shortly before 23:30 p.m. According to Italian police, a traffic officer set off fireworks without authorization near the rehearsal route. The explosions frightened the ceremonial horses, some of which were being ridden while others were being led by their handlers.
Panicked, several animals bolted and galloped through the streets of the Italian capital, sowing confusion among participants and security forces mobilized for the event.
Authorities reported that several riders were injured in the incident. No fatalities were reported, but emergency services responded quickly to treat the injured and attempt to recover the runaway horses.
Images circulating on social media show several horses running freely through the streets of Rome in the middle of the night, while officers and organizers tried to regain control of the situation.
An investigation has been launched to determine the exact circumstances of the incident and who is responsible for the fireworks. Authorities are particularly interested in understanding why they were set off near animals participating in an official ceremony.
The parade in question was organized as part of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic, whose national holiday is commemorated every year on June 2nd.
Despite this spectacular incident, preparations for the official ceremonies continue, while the authorities assess the consequences of this episode on the organization of the parade.
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