Five people have pleaded not guilty to Alabama riverfront brawl charges
Five people charged in an Alabama riverfront brawl that drew national attention as white boaters fought with Black riverboat crew members have pleaded not guilty to assault and disorderly conduct charges. Four white boaters, who police said were filmed hitting or shoving a Black riverboat captain in Montgomery, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges. A Black man, who police said was filmed swinging a folding chair and hitting people in the subsequent melee, pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges. Montgomery Municipal Court records show the not guilty pleas were entered last week. Videos of the brawl were widely shared on social media and spawned a multitude of memes, jokes, parodies, reenactments, and even T-shirts. Richard White, a lawyer representing one of the white boaters, told WSFA that he wants to make sure his client is treated fairly, given the national attention. Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert told reporters last month that the brawl began when the owner of a pontoon boat refused to move from a docking spot designated for the city-owned Harriott II riverboat. The riverboat co-captain took a smaller vessel to shore to move the pontoon boat so the Harriott II could dock and let its 200 or so passengers disembark. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Riverfront brawl brings unwelcome attention to Montgomery
Three white boaters in Alabama’s capital city will be charged with misdemeanor assault for a riverfront brawl with a Black boat captain that drew nationwide attention, with more charges likely to come, police said. Videos of the incident, which circulated widely on social media, have proven crucial in investigating what happened, Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert said. One person has turned himself in, and the other two have agreed to turn themselves in by the end of the day Tuesday. “The investigation is ongoing, and more charges are likely,” Albert said. The fight was largely split along racial lines and began when a moored pontoon boat blocked the Harriott II riverboat from docking in its designated space along the city’s riverfront, Albert said. The Harriott II had 227 passengers aboard for a tour. The viral video of white boaters assaulting a Black riverboat captain and the following melee brought unwelcome attention to the historic city — which is known across the country for the Montgomery bus boycott in the 1950s and voting rights marches in the 1960s. The city, in recent decades, has tried to move beyond its reputation as a site of racial tension and to build a tourism trade instead based on its critical role in the Civil Rights Movement. “I don’t think you can judge any community by any one incident. This is not indicative of who we are,” Mayor Steven Reed said Tuesday. He noted that the people on the pontoon boat were not from Montgomery. “It’s important for us to address this as an isolated incident, one that was avoidable and one that was brought on by individuals who chose the wrong path of action,” Reed said. Before the fight began, the riverboat captain tried to contact the pontoon boat owner by loudspeaker. People on the other boat responded with “obscene gestures, curse words, and taunting,” the police chief said. The riverboat co-captain took another vessel to shore to attempt to move the pontoon boat and “was attacked by several members of the private boat.” Albert said several people from the riverboat came to the co-captain’s defense, “engaging in what we all have seen since on social media.” Video captured by bystanders showed that once the Harriott II docked, several people from the riverboat rushed to confront the people on the pontoon boat, and more fighting broke out. The video showed people being shoved, punched and kicked, and one man hitting someone with a chair. At least one person was knocked into the water. “The co-captain was doing his job. He was simply trying to move the boat just enough so the cruise ship could park safely, but it quickly escalated,” Albert said. The police chief said so far, the charges are against people from the pontoon boat who assaulted the co-captain and a 16-year-old who got involved. Police are trying to locate and question the man with the chair. The fight took place along Montgomery’s downtown riverfront in an area where slaveowners once unloaded people from steamboats to be sold at auction. Now, the city has developed the area into a tourist and recreation place with restaurants, bars, and hotels. The Harriott II takes tourists on sightseeing trips with food and entertainment, along the Alabama River. The brawl sparked dozens of internet memes and videos, with some joking that the chair should be placed in a local museum. Albert said while some made racial taunts, the police department does not believe the motivation behind the fight rises to the standard of a hate crime. Alcohol is believed to be an escalating factor, he said. Christa Owen of Clanton was aboard the riverboat with her husband and their daughter for a dinner cruise to celebrate the daughter’s 12th birthday. She said the riverboat captain said on loudspeaker: “Black pontoon boat, move your boat,” and that passengers also yelled for the boat to move so they could dock. “They shrugged their shoulders,” Owen said. She said the crew member, identified by police as the co-captain of the riverboat, got off to move the pontoon boat a few feet. Owen said the tension was obvious and mounting before punches were thrown. She said passengers felt helpless as they watched the co-captain get pummeled by several people on shore. Owen, a stay-at-home mom, filmed the confrontation as it began on the dock. She said as a “mother of many,” she knows the importance of being able to document how a conflict started. Once the boat was able to dock, she said her family had to figure out how to get off the boat safely with the fighting going on around them. “It didn’t have to escalate to that,” she said. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Kay Ivey visits ALEA headquarters to show her appreciation for law enforcement
Governor Kay Ivey on Monday made a surprise visit to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Headquarters to show her appreciation to members of law enforcement – commemorating National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Ivey thanked members of the law enforcement community for their commitment to keeping Alabama safe. The governor’s visit came during an operations meeting for the inauguration events on Monday. The governor expressed her appreciation for Secretary Hal Taylor, all those at ALEA, and other entities working to ensure the inauguration is safe for all in attendance. “Every single person in every division of law enforcement puts their lives on the line each time they go to work,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. “I am proud to celebrate them and their service always but especially today on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Public safety always has and always will be a priority of the Ivey Administration, and under my watch, we will continue to ensure Alabama is the safest place to live, work and raise a family.” Secretary Taylor said that Ivey has made public safety a top priority of her administration. “Law enforcement truly has no greater friend than Governor Kay Ivey,” said Secretary Hal Taylor. “During her administration, public safety has remained a top priority. Her unwavering commitment to support not only the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency but all law enforcement partners across the state has boosted morale for the courageous men and women who serve. I am personally grateful for Governor Ivey’s steadfast support, which has allowed this Agency to fulfill its core mission in every corner of the state and make measurable progress in the law enforcement support and public safety services we employ.” “I want Alabama to show our commitment to the people that wear the badge, not just in word but in action,” Ivey told reporters at an earlier event at the State Capitol with Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) Secretary John Hamm and Montgomery Police Chief Darryl Albert. “A week from today, we will be marking the start of our next four years in office, and we will not stop pursuing our goal of being the safest state in the nation and a sanctuary for law enforcement,” Ivey said. “Here in Alabama, we will protect our citizens. We will encourage rehabilitation among our inmates. We will enforce the law. We will ensure justice for victims, and we will always have the backs of our law enforcement.” Ivey’s inauguration for her second term will be on Monday. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
New Orleans police executive named chief in Montgomery
A longtime police executive from New Orleans will take over as police chief in Alabama’s capital city, Mayor Steven Reed’s office said Monday. Darryl Albert, who has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement and held several key roles in the New Orleans Police Department, was selected following a search to succeed Ernest Finley, who resigned in June. New Orleans police announced in January that Albert, who held the rank of captain, was moving from his leadership position with the department’s Special Operations Division to oversee the agency’s training academy. He also held positions in New Orleans, including deputy chief of field operations, commander of the homicide division and the crime laboratory, and deputy superintendent. Albert is a member of organizations including the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Montgomery, the third-largest city in the state, said it considered almost 100 candidates before selecting Albert as chief, and the hiring process included a committee of community leaders that evaluated finalists. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
