By Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) __ 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.
