Bucharest police detain intoxicated man after pepper spray altercation at Patiseria Amzei

Altercation in Piața Amzei queue

On Sunday, 23 August 2026, officers from Bucharest Police Section 1 were dispatched to a street in Sector 1 following an emergency call placed through the 112 national emergency system. The altercation took place in Piața Amzei outside Patiseria Amzei, where dozens of customers were waiting in line on the public sidewalk. Initial police checks established that an intoxicated 52-year-old man approached two women waiting in the queue to solicit money. After directing verbal insults toward the two women, the man escalated the dispute when one of them refused to hand over any cash. The 52-year-old man then made an attempt to physically assault the woman who had declined his request.

Pepper spray deployment and police response

Upon seeing the physical threat, the woman's partner intervened directly to push the intoxicated beggar away from the group. During the physical struggle, the woman deployed an irritating tear gas pepper spray directly against the 52-year-old aggressor to defend herself. Multiple bystanders in the crowded queue witnessed the scuffle before police officers and an emergency medical crew reached the scene in Sector 1. Paramedics evaluated the individuals involved in the confrontation, but all parties stated that they suffered no injuries and did not require medical treatment. Additionally, the victims explicitly stated to the arriving officers that they did not wish to submit a formal criminal complaint.

Bucharest Police described the immediate security measures taken at the scene in an official statement.

To eliminate the state of danger and prevent further incidents, police officers immobilized and handcuffed the man, who was subsequently transported to a medical facility to receive specialized care.

Ongoing investigation and evidence collection

Police officers confiscated the tear gas pepper spray canister used during the scuffle to retain it as evidence for their ongoing verification process. Officers from Section 1 are continuing their procedural checks to establish all the circumstances surrounding the incident and decide on appropriate legal measures. The altercation drew immediate attention across the capital due to the dense crowd of customers gathered outside the bakery on Sunday afternoon.

Online pastry dispute and the merdenele war

The long line outside Patiseria Amzei, a bakery run by Nea Mihai, developed following a viral online controversy described locally as the merdenele war. The pastry shop has operated at its current site in Piața Amzei since the communist period and is regularly visited by local school and university students. Days before the confrontation, Edmond Niculușcă, the representative of the nearby brasserie La Mița Biciclista, released a promotional video discussing culinary standards in the neighborhood. In the video, Niculușcă unfavourably compared people who eat traditional merdenele made with margarine and broken cheese with gourmet restaurant diners who prefer food cooked with butter.

Customer solidarity and crowded sidewalks

Following strong public backlash against his promotional clip, Niculușcă issued a public apology regarding the traditional neighborhood bakery. His initial comments nevertheless motivated hundreds of Bucharest residents to travel to Piața Amzei over the weekend of 22 and 23 August 2026 to show support for the shop. The large surge in customer visits produced long queues along the pedestrian street, resulting in the crowded conditions in which the 52-year-old man approached patrons and attempted the assault.