The photos spread before the police report was even filed. A man crouched over an improvised grill in Crociata Park, a public space in the small Italian city of Sarzana, roasting a freshly killed cat over an open fire. The grill sat just steps from a children's playground.

Residents who witnessed the scene contacted the Carabinieri and State Police. Officers arrived and arrested the man, a Nigerian immigrant, on charges of animal cruelty. The images had already circulated widely across Italian social media and news outlets by that point, turning a local incident into a national story within hours.

What Happened in Crociata Park

The park, named after a local partisan commander, is a community space used by families. Witnesses described watching the man kill the cat and begin cooking it on the makeshift grill. The proximity to the playground amplified the reaction from those who saw it in person and those who later saw it online.

Whether the cat was a pet or a stray has not been officially confirmed. That detail remains open, and it has added to the public unease surrounding the case.

Government Condemnation Reached the Highest Level

This is where the story escalates beyond a local arrest. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini personally condemned the act, calling it "a heinous act that must not go unpunished." For a national deputy prime minister to publicly respond to an animal cruelty arrest in a small city signals how broadly the incident landed in the Italian political conversation.

Sarzana's Administrative Officer and Security Councillor Stefano Torri echoed that position, stating the act was "an atrocious act that cannot and should not have a place in a civilised society."

The Arrest and Charges

The man was taken into custody by the Carabinieri and State Police following multiple witness reports. He was formally charged with animal cruelty offenses under Italian law. The case remains active as Italian authorities process the charges.