Cyclists and blueberry pickers come to blows over a bucket of berries in Šumava

On Saturday, a brawl broke out in the woods near Churáňov hill in Šumava between two cyclists and a group of blueberry pickers. According to Jiří Matzner, spokesman for the South Bohemian Region police, officers were called to the scene after a report of suspicious smoking and illegal berry picking.

How it started

According to initial reports, two cyclists riding the trail from Churáňov hill toward Zlatá studna (Golden Well) spotted several people picking blueberries. The tourists suspected the pickers were gathering berries in a restricted zone of the national park and confronted them about it.

The remark escalated into a verbal argument and, apparently, a physical scuffle. According to the police officer, the two sides traded slaps, and the bucket of blueberries may have ended up being used as a makeshift weapon.

What the police decided

By the time officers arrived, the conflict had already died down. As it turned out, there was no need to investigate the berry-picking itself — the park ranger called to the scene confirmed that the berries had been gathered outside the park's first protection zone, meaning no violation had occurred.

The mutual assault, however, will likely have legal consequences. According to the police spokesman, the case will most probably be forwarded as a public order offence to the relevant municipal authority.

Read also: 9 best cycling routes around Prague: from the Vltava embankments to Karlštejn Castle

Source: novinky.cz