What started the fight in Montgomery Alabama? Sequence of events explored in wake of massive Riverfront brawl

A video taken minutes before the initial confrontation that took place at Riverfront Park in Montgomery, Alabama, has gone viral. The video details the sequence of events that culminated in the infamous brawl. The clip was shared by Twitter user @notcapnamerica on Sunday, August 6, 2023, with the caption:

"This video shows how the whole Alabama ferry brawl started."

On Saturday, August 5, 2023, around 7 pm, police responded to a disturbance involving a large group of people fighting after an African American dock worker was attacked by several white people. The dock worker had asked them to move their platoon boat to allow a riverboat to park in its reserved spot when he was attacked.

Several alert bystanders rushed to defend the worker, including 16-year-old Aaren Rudolph, who jumped off the riverboat and swam to the docks. The altercation soon drew in many others and lasted a whole minute before law enforcement authorities intervened.

---

What caused the Montgomery Riverfront brawl?: Sequence of events explained

According to the Washington Post, Riverfront Park is a popular summertime destination in Montgomery. It offers various entertainment sites, including an amphitheater, a stadium, a park, and the historic Union Station Train Shed. Additionally, it features a 19th-century Riverboat named Big Harriott II where tourists can dine and dance.

In the viral video the co-captain of Harriott II, Damien Pickett, is seen attempting to move the platoon boat as the person recording explains he was transported to the docks "to move that black platoon boat on his own, because those guys parked there were told not to leave it there, and they left it there... So he's just pushing it off. Took matters into his own hands..."

Pickett is seen attempting to push the platoon boat (left), and his argument with the owners (right) (Image via Twitter/@notcapnamerica)

According to Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert, the platoon boat blocked Harriott II from docking in its "identified location." The riverboat crew attempted to get the private boat to move for about 45 minutes over a PA system, which was met by obscene gestures. They then sent Pickett along with another crew member.

The footage shows Pickett peacefully attempting to move the smaller, boat but he is soon approached by the owner and they engage in a confrontation as the passengers on the riverboat watch. Pickett is seen wildly gesturing to the two vessels.

The owner is joined by their party members who continue to argue with the co-captain. At this point, passengers on the Harriott II start chanting:

"Move, b*tch, get out the way, get out the way, b*tch, get out the way.

As the argument continues, one of the white men charges at Pickett and hits him in the face. The co-captain then throws his hat into the air and he fights with the man that attacked him. Soon, the other white men and a woman join the fray and begin hitting him.

Bystanders present at the Montgomery Riverfront jump in to defend Pickett and the initial altercation subsides. However, a group of black men then confront the white boaters, and this escalates into a brawl.

The confrontation ended with at least one person being punched off the dock and two people, including a white woman, being hit on the head with a folding chair.

---

Montgomery PD broke up the fight and detained 13 people in total, including Reggie Gray, a black man who hit the woman with the chair.

Of the three white men charged, Richard Roberts faces two counts of third-degree assault, while Allen Todd and Zachery Shipman each face one count of third-degree assault against the dock worker. Montgomery Police Chief Albert added more charges are likely to come referring to Gray.

No other statements were released at the time of writing this article.