In the Piazza del Popolo, a statue pays tribute to an orange cat known by the name Re Gino (King Gino), who was the mascot of the city of San Giovanni in Persiceto. Born in June 2009, Gino was a frequent visitor to shops and offices all around town. He developed a large local following, and many were devastated by his untimely passing in 2018. (It is suspected that Gino was hit by a car.) This bronze statue was created by Claudio Nicoli to honor the memory of the little king.