Minneapolis is apparently home to the newestDamien Hirst, as an art installation featuring the burned carcass of a cat, with an American flag staked through its heart and an Obama/Biden yard sign next to it, popped up in a public park yesterday. Clearly, though, the authorities don't understand Conceptual Assemblage when they see it.

A threat to President Obama in the form of a burned cat staked to a tree stump drew officers from several city and federal agencies to a south Minneapolis park before dawn on Monday.

The cat's carcass in Longfellow Park was staked with a handheld American flag on a small stick, according to a federal law enforcement official. Standing next to the cat was an Obama/Biden 2012 lawn sign, the official said.

But what of the Assemblage's other components?

On the stump along with the cat, with the flag's stick staked through its throat, were an iced tea can and a cat food tin, the federal official said. There was no note, the official added.

Artist fail. There should by all means have been a note, or "artist's statement," preferably citing Kant's probings of the nature of truth and Brecht's Man's Inhumanity to Cat.

In other news, probably time to put some more taxpayer dough into mental health.

[StarTribune, via Wonkette operative "Mssr Grumpe"]