Four injured after chaotic late-night scenes on one of Rome's busiest roads.An investigation is under way in Rome after around 35 Italian military horses bolted through traffic on Via Cristoforo Colombo - one of the capital's busiest roads - in the early hours of Saturday.The horses, which had been gathered together near the Baths of Caracalla for a late-night rehearsal ahead of Italy's Festa della Repubblica parade on 2 June - escaped after being spooked by the noise of fireworks let off in close proximity to the animals. What triggered the stampede According to an initial reconstruction of events, the battery of fireworks was detonated roughly 200 metres away, allegedly by a municipal traffic officer on duty, in the company of several colleagues. The officer has admitted to setting off the firecrackers, allegedly as a joke, but claimed that it was done without intending to cause any harm. The Carabinieri launched an enquiry and notified the public prosecutor's office; the charges under consideration include bodily harm and the unauthorised ignition of fireworks. Four injured Four people were injured: three soldiers and a police officer who had tried to stop the terrified animals. A female soldier sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung, and a female police officer suffered facial injuries after being knocked over. Two male soldiers were also treated by emergency services for less serious injuries. Around 15 horses suffered injuries and were placed in the care of veterinary staff. According to unconfirmed reports in the Italian media, one animal sustained wounds so severe that it had to be put down. The investigation The municipal police confirmed they were co-operating with the Carabinieri and were gathering CCTV footage, including to establish whether explosions had occurred at a single location or at several points simultaneously. Italian military horses escaped last night onto Rome’s busy Cristoforo Colombo road. The horses, which were being kept near the Baths of Caracalla ahead of Italy’s Festa della Repubblica parade, bolted after being spooked by fireworks. pic.twitter.com/8wPgNtqhW7 — Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) May 30, 2026 The Carabinieri have submitted a preliminary report to prosecutors, who are now assessing whether to open a formal case. Police commander speaks out The commander of Rome's municipal police, Mario De Sclavis, has not hidden his anger over the incident. "We will take the appropriate measures, we will establish who took part. Without making allowances for anyone," he told new agency Adnkronos. He put the number of vigili urbani officers involved at "very few - three, four at most" and made clear why he was refusing to speak directly to those involved. "I am not talking to, and I must not talk to, the people involved in what happened," he said, "precisely because enquiries are under way and I am personally overseeing them. Speaking to [the officers] would be inappropriate." "I cannot express myself the way I'd like," he told Adnkronos on Saturday. "I got home at half past midnight and haven't slept since", he said, adding that during the night he spoke by phone to the mayor and police chiefs before going in person to visit the injured soldiers and police officers in hospital. Speaking to Rome newspaper Il Messaggero, De Sclavis described the incident as "unspeakable" and insisted that "nobody will be spared", however he stressed: "I cannot proceed with the dismissal or suspension of a person who is not formally under investigation." "The injured are innocent victims of an idiotic act" - De Sclavis told Il Messaggero - "All our sympathy goes out to them." In an interview with Corriere della Sera newspaper on Sunday, De Sclavis said the incident "discredits the image of the force and its officers" and that he would be unsparing with both the officer who ignited the fireworks as well as the colleagues who incited him. Defence minister monitors from abroad Italy's defence ministry issued a statement on Saturday expressing solidarity with those injured. Minister Guido Crosetto, despite being on an official visit abroad, was keeping close tabs on developments and remained in contact with those overseeing the care of the personnel involved. A near-tragedy on a busy road Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror. One person present at the rehearsal said it was the most frightening night of their life, adding that the horses had knocked over anyone and anything in their path. Others who happened to be driving near the Baths of Caracalla described seeing the animals galloping towards them without warning, with many on social media describing the incident as a near-tragedy. The horses were eventually recovered at various points along the Colombo, as far away as the EUR district. Carla Rocchi, president of animal protection group ENPA, slammed the incident, saying: "We have reached the point where fireworks must be banned."

An investigation is under way in Rome after around 35 Italian military horses bolted through traffic on Via Cristoforo Colombo - one of the capital's busiest roads - in the early hours of Saturday. The horses, which had been gathered together near the Baths of Caracalla for a late-night rehearsal ahead of Italy's  parade on 2 June - escaped after being spooked by the noise of fireworks let off in close proximity to the animals. According to an initial reconstruction of events, the battery of fireworks was detonated roughly 200 metres away, allegedly by a municipal traffic officer on duty, in the company of several colleagues. The officer has admitted to setting off the firecrackers, allegedly as a joke, but claimed that it was done without intending to cause any harm. The Carabinieri launched an enquiry and notified the public prosecutor's office; the charges under consideration include bodily harm and the unauthorised ignition of fireworks. Four people were injured: three soldiers and a police officer who had tried to stop the terrified animals. A female soldier sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung, and a female police officer suffered facial injuries after being knocked over. Two male soldiers were also treated by emergency services for less serious injuries. Around 15 horses suffered injuries and were placed in the care of veterinary staff. According to unconfirmed reports in the Italian media, one animal sustained wounds so severe that it had to be put down. The municipal police confirmed they were co-operating with the Carabinieri and were gathering CCTV footage, including to establish whether explosions had occurred at a single location or at several points simultaneously. Italian military horses escaped last night onto Rome’s busy Cristoforo Colombo road. The horses, which were being kept near the Baths of Caracalla ahead of Italy’s Festa della Repubblica parade, bolted after being spooked by fireworks. — Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) The Carabinieri have submitted a preliminary report to prosecutors, who are now assessing whether to open a formal case. The commander of Rome's municipal police, Mario De Sclavis, has not hidden his anger over the incident. "We will take the appropriate measures, we will establish who took part. Without making allowances for anyone," he told new agency Adnkronos. He put the number of vigili urbani officers involved at "very few - three, four at most" and made clear why he was refusing to speak directly to those involved. "I am not talking to, and I must not talk to, the people involved in what happened," he said, "precisely because enquiries are under way and I am personally overseeing them. Speaking to [the officers] would be inappropriate." "I cannot express myself the way I'd like," he told Adnkronos on Saturday. "I got home at half past midnight and haven't slept since", he said, adding that during the night he spoke by phone to the mayor and police chiefs before going in person to visit the injured soldiers and police officers in hospital. Speaking to Rome newspaper Il Messaggero, De Sclavis described the incident as "unspeakable" and insisted that "nobody will be spared", however he stressed: "I cannot proceed with the dismissal or suspension of a person who is not formally under investigation." "The injured are innocent victims of an idiotic act" - De Sclavis told Il Messaggero - "All our sympathy goes out to them." In an interview with Corriere della Sera newspaper on Sunday, De Sclavis said the incident "discredits the image of the force and its officers" and that he would be unsparing with both the officer who ignited the fireworks as well as the colleagues who incited him. Italy's defence ministry issued a statement on Saturday expressing solidarity with those injured. Minister Guido Crosetto, despite being on an official visit abroad, was keeping close tabs on developments and remained in contact with those overseeing the care of the personnel involved. Eyewitnesses described scenes of terror. One person present at the rehearsal said it was the most frightening night of their life, adding that the horses had knocked over anyone and anything in their path. Others who happened to be driving near the Baths of Caracalla described seeing the animals galloping towards them without warning, with many on social media describing the incident as a near-tragedy. The horses were eventually recovered at various points along the Colombo, as far away as the EUR district. Carla Rocchi, president of animal protection group ENPA, slammed the incident, saying: "We have reached the point where fireworks must be banned."