Updated 08/12/2023 at 10:00 a.m. ET
There is no ambiguity about how Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed feels about the seemingly racially-motivated brawl that broke out on his docks.
In an interview with CNN This Morning, Reed responded to video footage from the altercation. “I was surprised, certainly shocked, even, to see someone doing their job get attacked just by asking a person to move their vehicle. In this case, it was a boat,” he said.
This isn’t the first time the Mayor has spoken publicly about what many have now dubbed, either the “Alabama Rebellion” or the “Montgomery Uprising.”
“Justice will be served,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed in a previous statement. The question is what, exactly, does justice look like in the context of what appears to at least partially a racially-motivated brawl in a deep southern city in 2023?
For folks who missed the viral video, the footage appears to show a group of white boaters attacking a Black riverboat worker. From local reporting, he apparently told the boaters to move so another boat could dock, which seemed to set them off. Other Black folks joined the fray in his defense.
In his statement, Reed made it clear which side of the dispute he stood on. “Last night, the Montgomery Police Department acted swiftly to detain several reckless individuals for attacking a man who was doing his job,” wrote Reed. Warrants have been signed, and justice will be served.”
Reed went on to further condemn the actions of the people who attacked the riverboat worker. “This was an unfortunate incident which never should have occurred,” he said. “As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community. Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system.”
Over on social media, people are continuing to dissect the fight as new angles get released. Many folks are celebrating the fact that the riverboat worker had so many people come to his defense, including one man who literally swam across the river to help him.
It’s unclear what the consequences will be for the boaters who appear to have instigated the altercation. However, if Reed’s statement holds any weight, it appears the city might be willing to throw the book at them.