Boat fight in Alabama: Wild new footage emerges of brawls between Harriot II Riverboat crew and white recreational boat owners
Wild new footage has shed light on the mass brawl between black cruise crew and white recreational boat owners on a dock in Alabama, during which a man was heard saying over the loudspeaker, “don’t fuck with the riverboat crew.”
The large group of people had returned to the dock after spending time on the Harriott II Riverboat in Montgomery, Alabama.
However, after they returned, the space reserved for them had been taken by a boat owner who parked and abandoned his ship.
The riverboat sent a member of staff to the wharf to untie the smaller vessel so that those on board could return to land if fighting broke out.
After the riverboat crew returned to the dock, fighting continued, with a woman thrown into the water
Police intervened and made arrests at the scene, with the mayor of Montgomery saying those responsible will be held accountable
The riverboat ‘hero’ – who was the first to try and get the owners of the pontoon boats moving – was later celebrated as his opponent was led away by police
In the new video, a woman on the riverboat talks about what happened before the camera rolled.
“The man in white is our cruise crew who got off our ship to go there to move that black pontoon boat because the guys who parked there were told not to leave him there,” she says.
“He just pushes it away, that’s funny. Take matters into your own hands.’
In the background, those aboard the riverboat can be heard cheering on the worker and after the owner of the pontoon boat arrives, he begins yelling to “kick his a**.”
On the wharf, a group of men are seen crowding around the black longshoreman who is cheered on by those aboard the riverboat.
Those aboard the riverboat then hilariously break into the Ludacris song “Move B**ch,” repeatedly chanting “move b**ch, get out the way.”
The worker and barge owner continue to drive back and forth before the worker is pushed by one man.
In a flamboyant gesture, the black man tosses his cap to a watching crowd above.
Chaotic video taken aboard the Harriott II shows fighters throwing punches on the pontoon below
The boatman had to return to land after another boat, pictured here, took their place at the wharf
Despite police now being on the scene, workers from the riverboat and those aboard the private boat continued to fight
Scenes quickly turn sour as the few blows before another white man in red shorts tackles the black man to the ground, before several others join the fray.
Some seem to be trying to break up the fight, while others throw punches as well.
Those aboard the riverboat scream in horror as the man is often beaten before others come to the rescue.
A man is even seen swimming from across the river to the other side of the river to join the fight.
In separate footage, a group of men and workers from the riverboat then reach the dock and a full-scale brawl breaks out.
At one point, a white woman is thrown into the water as her attacker is cheered on by those filming the fight.
Another woman is also hit on the head with a chair as two men trade blows to the head, before one gouges out the other’s eye.
A jeering crowd expresses a mixture of horror and joy at the unsettling scenes unfolding before them.
The throwing of a hat invites a blow to the head of the shirtless man, leading to ugly scenes
A man in red shorts charges into the action and tackles the black man to the ground as others join in
The altercation is investigated by local police as they comb through multiple videos from the public
A man can be seen hitting another man on the head with a chair as he tries to escape
The same man is later seen hitting a woman on the head with a chair as she sits on the floor
In another corner of the brawl, the announcer aboard the riverboat can be heard saying, “Please look at the boys in the water, there are two boys in the water beyond the dock.” Make sure no one drowns.
He then hilariously jokes, “FYI, don’t mess with the riverboat crew in the future.”
Photos shared on social media appear to show a group of white men sitting on the boardwalk in handcuffs after the riot, while others are led away from the scene by officers.
The altercation is being investigated by local police as they search multiple videos provided by the public, as well as the City of Montgomery’s video surveillance.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said: “Montgomery police acted quickly to detain several reckless individuals for assaulting a man who was doing his job.
Arrest warrants will be signed and justice will be served. This was an unfortunate incident that should never have happened.
The worker who was the first to be attacked by the group of men is led away from here by several women, who also seem to have worked on the boat.
The worker was aboard the Harriot II Riverboat in Montgomery, Alabama, when he decided to untie a boat that was blocking them from docking
Post-fight photos shared on social media show a woman with her hands behind her back being led away from the riverbank in Alabama by a cop
Post-fight photos shared on social media show men and women handcuffed on the boardwalk. Montgomery police said multiple arrests have been made
“As our police investigate these intolerable actions, we must not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community.
“Those who choose violent actions will be held accountable by our criminal justice system.”