A parish priest has been reported to police in Sardinia for saying gay people should be subjected to flamethrowers.

Father Silvio Foddis took to Facebook to post a photograph of two gay men, and used the caption “A flamethrower to reignite what is almost extinguished?, reports Ansa.

After one person commented to say that perhaps a priest should not be inciting violence, he responded to say he would go even further.

He wrote: “We don’t have to endure all the crap of this world”.

The Sardinian Homosexual Movement (MOS) has since released a staement saying: “The words were against the law of man and against the law of God”.

“He is not just a simple citizen but a priest who, unfortunately, has an educational role to play in society.”

The group said the priest has been reported to police, stating that his words constitute”a serious act of incitement to hatred and murderous violence”.

The Diocese of the priest has since posted a statement saying it was “satisfied” that the post was a “knee-jerk reaction a high-impact picture that was in fact in support of nudism.”

It said the archbishop “wanted to take this opportunity to urge priests and the faithful to have the greatest respect for everyone and, at the same time, pay attention to what is said andor written on social media to avoid hurting feelings or damaging people’s dignity.”