A dispute over a handful of cherries in the village of Lesnovo, near Elin Pelin, has sparked public outrage after a man drove over a 9-year-old girl’s bicycle and threatened her father during a confrontation that unfolded in front of the child.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening while Tsvetko Tsvetkov and his daughter were taking what he described as their usual walk through the village. According to his account, they stopped near a roadside cherry tree so the girl could pick a few cherries. Because the branches were too high, he lifted her onto his shoulders to reach the fruit.
Tsvetkov says a vehicle approached while they were near the tree and began flashing its headlights from a distance. Moments later, the driver arrived and, according to the father, deliberately drove over the girl’s bicycle before confronting them.
A video shared on social media captured part of the dispute. In the footage, Tsvetkov can be heard attempting to calm the situation, telling the driver: “Please, go back, because right now you are crushing my child's bicycle for five cherries. We didn't even bring a bag to collect them. We weren't stealing them.”
As the argument continued, the driver's wife appeared at the scene. According to statements heard in the recording, she indicated that the cherry tree was not even their property. “Film him and send him to the police. This is my husband,” she is heard saying.
