Montogomery police had a brutal weekend after a group called Pontoon Boaters attacked a Montogomery Riverfront dock worker on Saturday. The incident, which is reported to be racially motivated because the workers are black and the attackers are white, saw many individuals thrown into a river, whacked with a chair, and many other vicious acts.
According to reports, police have arrested four of the individuals and released warrants for many more who are yet to be arrested.
An out-of-control brawl broke out on an Alabama dock Saturday among dozens of people in a manic scene that mirrored a massive WWE fight — all captured on video.
The wild battle — which witnesses said started when a group of boaters attacked a Montogomery Riverfront dock worker — ended with people thrown into the river, multiple struck with a folding chair and several in handcuffs, according to footage posted to social media.
Montogomery police have issued four active warrants as of Sunday and more will likely follow as they review videos posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, local NBC affiliate station WSFA reported.
The melee occurred at about 7 p.m. Saturday at the 200 block of Coosa Street, police told the station.
A witness claimed that the group of boaters refused to move their pontoon boat so that the Harriott II Riverboat could dock.
The account was seemingly backed up by the Montgomery mayor.
“Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job,” Mayor Steven Reed said in a statement. “Warrants are being signed and justice will be served.”
These white people jumped this black security guard at the Riverfront. The staff got off the boat and it turned into WWE Smackdown. I’m so proud of Montgomery 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/4DG5bShXfz
— Housatlantavegas (@_dreadadon) August 6, 2023
A shirtless man appeared to throw the first punch, running up and punching the dock worker in the face, the video shows.
The worker tosses off his hat as onlookers shout and the two struggle before two more men join in and punch the staffer, according to the footage.
A woman can be heard yelling at others to help the employee.
A man then runs down a ramp to the dock and another jumps in the river and swims over to defend the worker, the clip shows.
Several others walk down to the dock in support of the dock staffer and the fight appears to end.
However, another clip shows a group of people approaching the pontoon boat and the opposing groups began throwing punches, pulling hair and even tossing a woman into the water as bystanders shout.
A third video shows even more people, both men and women joining the fight.
One man takes a folding chair and whacks a man and then a woman — part of the pontoon boaters — over the head with it before officers grab and cuff him.
Officers also cuffed several of the pontoon boaters, according to the footage.
The fight appeared to develop along racial lines as the boaters were white while the dock worker and the others fighting against the boaters were black.
“As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community,” Reed said. “Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system.”
For a society that boasts f many huge civilizations, it is concerning that we do not have respect for each other as people and continue to be reckless toward each other despite the dangers.
Do you know what kind of stamina it takes to swim across the river and still have the strength to give dudes the Rock Bottom?
Scuba Gooding Jr was on one!!
pic.twitter.com/lI7pGBnDjr— EP (@epark1016) August 7, 2023
Okay, I need to get off of Black Twitter because I cannot stop laughing at these names!
Blaquaman and Michael B Phelps were hilarious enough but now y'all have added Lil Bass X, Scuba Gooding, Jr, Evander Holyfish and Sea Murda too???? I cannot stop laughing 🤣 🤣🤣🤣🤣
— Rae 🇹🇹 (@raesince1988) August 7, 2023