France’s annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Élysées was marked by a series of minor accidents that briefly disrupted the highly choreographed event. A horse from the Republican Guard’s cavalry detachment bolted from the formation, and moments later another horse slipped and fell, bringing down its rider directly in front of the presidential reviewing stand. Both rider and animal were able to continue after regaining control, according to footage broadcast by French media. Separately, an officer cadet from the inter-service military academy (EMIA) was seen with blood streaming from his ear after apparently cutting himself with his ceremonial sabre. The cadet completed the march despite the injury, and the French Army later said he was “doing fine” and required no hospitalisation. No serious injuries were reported from any of the incidents. The parade, overseen by President Emmanuel Macron, involved about 7,000 personnel, 65 aircraft, 34 helicopters, 247 vehicles and some 200 horses. An Indonesian contingent led the procession as this year’s guest of honour. Macron used the national holiday to reiterate plans to raise defence spending to €64 billion, saying France must remain “powerful” in an increasingly unstable world.