The Punt Wars of Cambridge

Cambridge is famous for its punts, those pole-propelled boats plying the tranquil River Cam. Less famous, though, are the ongoing feuds between punt operators as they fiercely battle for tourist traffic.

This war has just gone to the next level, though, as one operator has found two of his boats sawn in half.

Caught in the middle is Cam Conservators, which manages the licensing of punt companies, but cannot control their behavior once they're on the water.

During the past few years, the tension between punt operators has boiled over into violence many times, even involving knife fights.

This reminds me of the running battles between minibus taxi firms in Cape Town, which involve firebombs and automatic weapons: visitors are warned to avoid minibuses at night so they won't get caught in the crossfire if anything goes down. The difference here is only a matter of degrees, and bystanders in Cambridge are already getting hurt.