Safe kids, safe cats; Longfellow neighbors react to cat killing

The cat was found burnt and impaled with a small American flag in Longfellow Park in south Minneapolis on Monday morning.

The brutality was deemed newsworthy because of the Obama/Biden 2012 lawn sign that was placed next to the cat's body.

But for people who live near the scene of the crime, it was a desecration of the spirit of their park and their neighborhood.

Kristy Snyder's kids, Nora and Spencer, play in Longfellow Park almost every day.

"It was actually their idea that we brought all the kids together to have a vigil to remember the cat and to renew the positive energy in the park," Snyder said.

Snyder, her children and other neighbors are gathering in Longfellow Park at 6 p.m. tonight. They are bringing sidewalk chalk.

"We're just going to try to cover the whole surface with memories of cats, because this is a horrific event on so many levels," Snyder said.

Speakers, including kids, will talk about what the park means to them, and then parade around the perimeter. They will carry cookies iced with the slogans "safe kids" and "safe cats" on wooden sticks. They'll make as much noise as possible.

"We don't want to say taking back our park, because it's already our park," Snyder said. "We're just renewing the energy of the park."

(Photos courtesy of Kristy Snyder)

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