Anger has erupted in Italy after a Nigerian immigrant was caught cooking a cat on a makeshift barbecue next to a children’s playground in a public park.
Local residents called police after seeing the man roasting the freshly killed animal on a grate on a fire in Crociata Park in the city of Sarzana, south of Genoa, on Tuesday.
The shoeless African was arrested at the scene and charged with animal cruelty offences, but photos of him cooking the cat sparked outrage across the country, with Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini calling the incident a “heinous act that must not go unpunished”, Il Secolo XIX reported.
Sarzana Administrative Officer and Security Councillor Stefano Torri spoke out about the incident on social media, and said there should be “zero tolerance” for such behaviour.
“What happened this afternoon in Crociata Park is an atrocious act that cannot and should not have a place in a civilised society,” he said.
“As an Administration, we are ready to reiterate strongly: we will not allow anyone to come into our territory to import sick and barbaric customs and customs.
“Those living in our country have a duty to respect our laws and our sensitivity towards animals. We won’t tolerate our land being turned into a theatre of the uncivilised by those who have no respect for the rules of civil life.”
Many others called for the man to be jailed in posts and comments on social media, and expressed dismay that the incident occurred in an area intended for children and families.
Mr Torri also promised to improve safety at the park and “return it to the citizens”.
It is unclear whether the cat was a family pet or a stray.
Italy is not the only country where immigrants have been caught eating pets and local wildlife, with similar incidents reported in the US, England and Australia.
Header image: Left, right, the Nigerian immigrant cooking the cat.
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