A bizarre street fight was caught on video by shocked passersby who came across a man assaulting another one with a living python in the middle of the street in Canada.

The disturbing clip – showing the final moments of the altercation before police swoop in and arrest the attacker, later identified as Laurenio Avila, 45 – quickly spread all over social media.

Police managed to break up the fight after receiving a call about a man threatening people with a python snake in the Dundas Street West and Manning Avenue area in Toronto, at around 11:50 pm on 10th May.

The clip shows Avila using the snake as a whip to attack the man who is trying to roll away and defend himself while lying down on the street.

Moments later, a patrol vehicle arrives and police officers run out ordering Avila to “Get on the ground, now,” as he throws away the python before complying.

An anonymous witness told local media that the two men were arguing back and forth while the person without a snake warned passersby that Avila was holding a python.

According to the witness, “guy with snake had been walking around with it on his neck and kinda stepping towards people so other guy was following him until the cops came.”

Toronto Police later confirmed that the incident involved a real snake and its owner has been arrested and charged with assault with a weapon and unnecessary pain/suffering to an animal.

Avila reportedly appeared in court on 11th May 11 at Old City Hall via video link and was remanded into custody.

It is unclear what became of the python.

Social media users condemned Avila’s bizarre choice of weapon and wondered if the snake is okay.

Instagram user ‘small380’ said in a comment: “Wtf. Poor snake didn’t deserve that. I hope the cops beat that guy with their boots.”

Another user titled ‘kyle.727’ remarked: “We really are the top of the food chain casually using another animal as a whip.”

And user ‘paul.mcgregor’ wrote: “Snake probably had quite the headache after that one.”