Three white men face assault charges in the viral Alabama riverfront brawl case
White men accused of assaulting black man over docking at Alabama riverfront
Three arrest warrants were issued Tuesday (August 8) by Alabama authorities in Montgomery in the viral riverfront brawl case.
The brawl, which broke out on Saturday (August 5), saw people throwing punches, attacking each other with chairs, and pushing some into the river.
What happened?
According to media reports, the brawl started when a Black co-captain of a riverboat, called Harriott II, asked white owners of a private boat to move away from the designated space for a larger boat.
The white men had allegedly parked their boat in a space meant for bigger boats. Some reports claimed the request by the Black person was met with “curse words”, “obscene gestures” and “taunting.”
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WATCH:
The white boaters then allegedly assaulted the black person named Damian Pickett. A video of the incident also went viral on social media, in part because of Montgomery’s historic connections to the civil rights movement.
Details about the accused white men
Richard Roberts, aged 48, along with 23-year-old Allen Todd and 45-year-old Zachary Shipman, faced assault charges from the Montgomery Police Department on Tuesday.
The charges included a misdemeanour, as well as accusations of escaping a riot and committing a hate crime.
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During a press conference, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. said that one of the suspects voluntarily surrendered to the Selma Police Department.
The remaining two were in the process of doing the same. Chief J. also disclosed that, in collaboration with the FBI, the Montgomery police had determined the charges. However, the available evidence did not support additional charges beyond assault for the three men.
Subsequent to the incident, a 16-year-old boy earned praise on social media as the 'Black Aquaman' after he leapt into the Alabama river and swam to a dock to assist the Black staff member.
Reaction on social media
Social media users expressed support for the Black individuals who came to the riverboat worker's defence.
Many comments celebrated this display of unity, with one noting that the era of racial discrimination akin to 1963 had passed, referencing the Civil Rights Act's enactment.
“This is not … 1963 anymore,” the comment reportedly read.
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