A viral video showing an illegal horse-drawn cart race on public roads in Palagonia, Sicily, has led to a police investigation, the seizure of horses, and the questioning of two men. The video, which spread widely online and drew attention from animal welfare groups, showed horses racing at high speed while spectators on scooters fired guns into the air. Police from Catania confirmed they had identified and reported two men, ages 40 and 45, to prosecutors and ordered several stables in the San Cristoforo district shut down.
Veterinarians accompanied officers during raids to assess the horses’ conditions, and Italian animal welfare organization LAV noted that illegal street racing in Sicily, long tied to organized crime and fueled by illicit betting, “represents one of the most striking displays of criminal prestige and mafia control over the territory.” The race in Palagonia was unusual for occurring at dawn on a Friday rather than the more typical Sunday morning.
Source: The Guardian
