Source: Julie Bennett / Getty
Three men are currently facing misdemeanors after a group of White men attacked a Black dockworker during a brawl in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday (Aug. 5). Social media did its things creating some of the best art in the form of music, memes and montages from the wild boat brawl. Check out our favorite fan reactions inside.
Three Alabama men face misdemeanor assault charges after a group of White men attacked a Black dockworker on Saturday during a brawl, which involved multiple people along the Montgomery Riverfront.
Today (Aug. 8), Montgomery Police Chief Darryl J. Albert announced assault charges against Richard Roberts, 48; Allen Todd, 23; and Zachery Shipman, 25. At the news conference, Albert said one of the men is in custody and the other two were expected to turn themselves in to police Tuesday afternoon. Police are expected to bring more charges in the brawl.
As many social media users witnessed the fight online, most people could assume it was the start of another race war. However, when asked if the situation constituted a hate crime, Albert shared, “Based on the elements of this crime, those elements did not exist.”
Albert said police are also looking to speak with Reggie Gray, 42, a Black man shown in social media videos wielding a folding chair in the brawl.
The Montgomery Police Chief also confirmed witness accounts of the incident: that a group of white private boaters attacked a Black dockworker, Damien Pickett, as he attempted to move their pontoon to make way for the Harriott II Riverboat. The more than 200 passengers on the riverboat waited for at least 30 minutes as its captain and Pickett tried to get the group of rowdy boaters to move their watercraft. Several members of the private pontoon then attacked Pickett, Albert said.
Check out the brawl below:
Since Saturday’s attack, social media users have gotten quite inventive with memes, songs and jokes galore online.
Check out a roundup of our favorite fan reactions from the Alabama Boat Brawl below:
Memes & Misdemeanors: Best Fan Reactions From The Montgomery Riverfront Boat Brawl was originally published on globalgrind.com
