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→‎Background and incident: This is not a political issue. It is not a science issue. As it is neither political or scientific, it is a reliable source; please see the reliable source list.
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==Background and incident==
==Background and incident==
{{Original research section|date=September 2023}}
{{Original research section|date=September 2023}}
The brawl ensued after a dispute over a dockside parking spot at Riverfront Park, on the [[Alabama River]]. The ''Harriott II'' Riverboat, carrying 227 passengers, attempted to dock at its usual dock space, but because there were no signs or markings indicating the area was designated for the riverboat, a pontoon boat owned by a private party had already docked there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/08/10/4-people-are-being-charged-with-assault-for-the-waterfront-brawl-in-montgomery/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=opb |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-07 |title=4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery |url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/npr-headlines/npr-headlines/2023-08-07/4-people-are-being-charged-with-assault-for-the-waterfront-brawl-in-montgomery |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Delaware First Media |language=en}}</ref> Despite multiple attempts by the riverboat's captain to get the pontoon's operators to move their boat, they would not. Passengers on the ''Harriott II'' were also shouting at them to move the boat. After failing to get the pontoon boat owners to move for 45 minutes, the co-captain of the ''Harriott II'' and an unidentified 16-year-old white male employee were transported to the dock to move the pontoon boat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/08/08/arrest-warrants-issued-three-men-montgomery-riverfront-brawl/8421691536204/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/08/08/arrest-warrants-issued-three-men-montgomery-riverfront-brawl/8421691536204/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>
On August 5, 2023 around 7:00pm, the riverboat "Harriot II" arrived at the Montgomery, Alabama Riverfront Park, on the [[Alabama River]].<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-remaining-suspects-massive-brawl-montgomery-alabama-boat-dock-custody.amp</ref> The ''Harriott II'', carrying 227 passengers, attempted to dock at its usual dock space, but because there were no signs or markings indicating the area was designated for the riverboat, a pontoon boat owned by a private party had already docked there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery |url=https://www.opb.org/article/2023/08/10/4-people-are-being-charged-with-assault-for-the-waterfront-brawl-in-montgomery/ |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=opb |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-07 |title=4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery |url=https://www.delawarepublic.org/npr-headlines/npr-headlines/2023-08-07/4-people-are-being-charged-with-assault-for-the-waterfront-brawl-in-montgomery |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=Delaware First Media |language=en}}</ref> Despite multiple attempts by the riverboat's captain to get the pontoon's operators to move their boat, they would not. Passengers on the ''Harriott II'' were also shouting at them to move the boat. After failing to get the pontoon boat owners to move for 45 minutes, the co-captain of the ''Harriott II'' and an unidentified 16-year-old white male employee were transported to the dock to move the pontoon boat.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/08/08/arrest-warrants-issued-three-men-montgomery-riverfront-brawl/8421691536204/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/08/08/arrest-warrants-issued-three-men-montgomery-riverfront-brawl/8421691536204/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>


After the incident, the co-captain provided a written statement to police, stating that he untied the pontoon boat from the dock and "moving it 3 steps to the right",<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-montgomery-riverfront-worker-describes-sparked-viral-brawl-rcna99238|title=Black Montgomery riverfront worker describes what sparked viral brawl|first=Curtis|last=Bunn|date=August 10, 2023|website=www.nbcnews.com}}</ref> with one (white) dock worker and was then confronted by the boat owners.<ref name="auto"/> Video of the incident shows individuals arguing with the co-captain. A short time later he was assaulted by a white man, who shouted at him not to touch that ship. The two then began to fight, another white man and white woman of the private boat also attacked the co-captain. Video shows that multiple individuals, white and black, attempted to break up the initial assault. A white dock worker was also assaulted. The initial assault was broken up in less than a minute.
After the incident, the co-captain provided a written statement to police, stating that he untied the pontoon boat from the dock and "moving it 3 steps to the right",<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-montgomery-riverfront-worker-describes-sparked-viral-brawl-rcna99238|title=Black Montgomery riverfront worker describes what sparked viral brawl|first=Curtis|last=Bunn|date=August 10, 2023|website=www.nbcnews.com}}</ref> with one (white) dock worker and was then confronted by the boat owners.<ref name="auto"/> Video of the incident shows individuals arguing with the co-captain. A short time later he was assaulted by a white man, who shouted at him not to touch that ship. The two then began to fight, another white man and white woman of the private boat also attacked the co-captain. Video shows that multiple individuals, white and black, attempted to break up the initial assault. A white dock worker was also assaulted. The initial assault was broken up in less than a minute.

Revision as of 13:38, 2 September 2023

Montgomery Riverfront brawl
A frame from a video of a White man attacking a Black dock worker at the Montgomery Riverfront in August 2023.
DateAugust 5, 2023; 11 months ago (2023-08-05)
Location
Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Casualties
Charged5

On August 5, 2023, a large-scale altercation took place at the riverfront dock in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. The incident gained significant media attention due to its violent nature, the racial undertones, and Montgomery's racially charged history.[1]

Background and incident

On August 5, 2023 around 7:00pm, the riverboat "Harriot II" arrived at the Montgomery, Alabama Riverfront Park, on the Alabama River.[2] The Harriott II, carrying 227 passengers, attempted to dock at its usual dock space, but because there were no signs or markings indicating the area was designated for the riverboat, a pontoon boat owned by a private party had already docked there.[3][4] Despite multiple attempts by the riverboat's captain to get the pontoon's operators to move their boat, they would not. Passengers on the Harriott II were also shouting at them to move the boat. After failing to get the pontoon boat owners to move for 45 minutes, the co-captain of the Harriott II and an unidentified 16-year-old white male employee were transported to the dock to move the pontoon boat.[5][6]

After the incident, the co-captain provided a written statement to police, stating that he untied the pontoon boat from the dock and "moving it 3 steps to the right",[7] with one (white) dock worker and was then confronted by the boat owners.[7] Video of the incident shows individuals arguing with the co-captain. A short time later he was assaulted by a white man, who shouted at him not to touch that ship. The two then began to fight, another white man and white woman of the private boat also attacked the co-captain. Video shows that multiple individuals, white and black, attempted to break up the initial assault. A white dock worker was also assaulted. The initial assault was broken up in less than a minute.

Arguments and fights with Harriott II workers then continued. A black teenager was filmed swimming across the river to the dock. He got to the dock after the initial assault was defused. Moments later he attacked two white men and one white woman.[8][non-primary source needed]

Other videos show the co-captain tying the Harriott II to the dock and the boat owners at the opposite end of the dock. The video shows no one was fighting at this time. The video shows multiple individuals, all black, disembark and immediately run to attack initial assailants, all white. The co-captain can be seen going toward this fighting, grabbing someone in red and walking that person in the direction of the Harriott II. Simultaneously, at the Harriott II, bystanders and individuals connected to the initial assault begin arguing and punching each other. The video shows three separate fights occurring near the Harriott II. A black man used a folding chair to hit a white male, and a white female who had been punched and knocked down by multiple blacks females.

The predominate racial lines of the fighting lead to allegations that the assailants were racially motivated in their attack. The captain in the incident was also white.[1]

The entire altercation was caught on video, showing it evolving from the initial confrontation to a vast melee.[8][non-primary source needed] Another man was later seen hitting (all white) people including a woman with a folding chair.[9][10] Some white people were thrown into the river. Police arrived at the scene around 7:18 p.m., shortly after the brawl began.

External videos
Witness videos of the brawl
video icon Full Video: Viewer records as Montgomery riverfront brawl begins
video icon Video of "Black Aquaman" swimming to the dock
video icon initial fight immediate aftermath, co-captain restrained by police officer
video icon Bystanders fighting next to Harriott II
video icon Various fights on the dock

Aftermath and investigation

The immediate aftermath of the brawl saw 13 individuals detained and questioned, including the co-captain who was hit by a police taser, but subsequently released. Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert confirmed arrest warrants for three men involved in the incident.[1]

Arrest warrants were then expanded to another woman and a man hitting people with a chair. All five surrendered at the police station the following week.[11][12]

The investigation was intensified due to the racial implications surrounding the fight. While the altercation mainly occurred along racial lines, preliminary investigations did not find sufficient evidence for hate crime charges. However, the incident has revived discussions around Montgomery's racial history, especially given the city's pivotal role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the Montgomery bus boycott during the Civil Rights movement.[1]

Public reaction and media coverage

The video of the brawl quickly went viral, drawing national attention and sparking discussions on race relations in Montgomery.

Mayor Steven Reed condemned the brawl, describing the instigators as "reckless individuals" and commending the swift response of the police department and community members.[1]

Writing for the Montgomery Advertiser, journalist Shannon Heupel detailed positive reactions to the co-captain. A 16-year old Black defender wearing a blue "crew" shirt, identified publicly as "Aaren," was nicknamed "Black Aquaman" after he dived off Harriott II to defend the co-captain. His actions were also praised.[13]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e Spells, Alta; Salahieh, Nouran (August 9, 2023). "Police say more charges are likely in the massive brawl at the Montgomery riverfront dock. Here's what we know". CNN. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  2. ^ https://www.foxnews.com/us/two-remaining-suspects-massive-brawl-montgomery-alabama-boat-dock-custody.amp
  3. ^ "4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery". opb. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  4. ^ "4 people are being charged with assault for the waterfront brawl in Montgomery". Delaware First Media. August 7, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  6. ^ "Arrest warrants issued for 3 men in Montgomery, Ala., riverfront brawl - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Bunn, Curtis (August 10, 2023). "Black Montgomery riverfront worker describes what sparked viral brawl". www.nbcnews.com.
  8. ^ a b "Full Video: Viewer records as Montgomery riverfront brawl begins". WSFA. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  9. ^ Gray, Jeremy (August 7, 2022). "Swimmer in Montgomery riverfront brawl did what he 'was taught to do,' publicist shares". AL.com. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  10. ^ Zaru, Deena (August 8, 2023). "3 charged with assault after boaters attack dock employee at Montgomery, Alabama riverbank". ABC 7. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  11. ^ "5th suspect arrested in Montgomery riverfront brawl". Wsfa12.
  12. ^ "https://www.wvtm13.com/article/montgomery-brawl-riverfront/44752960"
  13. ^ Heupel 2023.

Bibliography

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Montgomery_Riverfront_brawl&oldid=1173446511"