Man hanging from carriage

Viennese hackney carriage drove into a human chain during a demonstration

A Viennese horse-drawn carriage driver did not want to keep his two guests waiting when demonstrators blocked the way at the parliament. His horses had literally run away with him. He simply drove his carriage towards the human chain, injuring one of the demonstrators and now finds himself in court. 

Two tourists in Vienna experienced a rather unusual horse-drawn carriage ride: on September 20 last year, the Austrian Trade Union Confederation staged a large-scale protest against inflation - a long chain of people formed around the parliament, banners and signs were held aloft. The participants also blocked a side street of the Vienna Ring Road.

Demonstrator dragged along by a carriage 
A horse-drawn carriage didn't like this at all and his horses ran away with him. In front of the police, one of the demonstrators recalls: "I was shocked when the driver steered the carriage towards me." The man jumped to the side, stumbled and just managed to hold on to a small lantern on the carriage - which is said to have pulled him along. He suffered a laceration to his elbow and several bruises. 

Defender: Fiaker did not want to endanger guests
"He would prefer to undo it", says the Fiaker's defense lawyer in the Vienna Regional Court. The 47-year-old Bulgarian is facing a criminal complaint for assault, coercion and preventing or disturbing an assembly. Before Judge Christian Gneist, he accepts full responsibility, but not guilt. His lawyer argues that he could not have stopped the horses in time without possibly endangering the guests in the carriage. 

That is enough for a diversionary settlement: the Bulgarian pays 500 euros in court and 300 euros in compensation to the victim - who skipped the trial. While the hackney carriage driver is registered with the AMS from January to March inclusive, he can resume his work from next month.