Video of Montgomery’s brutal Saturday night brawl has blown up on social media, racking up tens of millions of views and putting the city’s Riverfront at the center of worldwide attention.
Authorities say several were arrested on site and four warrants were issued afterward. The names of those involved have yet to be released – nor has a report detailing the situation.
As the dust settles on the violent altercation that involved dozens, several videos paint a picture of the before, during and after.
1. The instigation
The confrontation involving a man and a dockworker was being recorded by onlookers on a vessel around 7 p.m. at Riverfront Park.
While it’s unclear what the exact cause of the altercation was, a woman recording said the worker was attempting to move a boat the owners were told they can’t leave stationary.
2. Brawl breakout
As uniformed officers arrived to sort out the initial altercation, several workers from the riverboat quickly approached the group and unloaded – kicking off the brawl accounted for in viral videos.
Police scrambled as several non-aggressive individuals were targeted and stomped.
3. Escalation and aftermath
From there, the most brutal exchanges unfolded. A chair was introduced into the mix, striking one of the men involved in the initial altercation, also used to bash a woman’s head who was on the ground after being kicked and punched.
Police said, “At the scene, they located a large group of subjects engaged in a physical altercation. Several subjects have been detained and any charges are pending.”
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed called the situation “an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred.”
Grayson Everett is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270