THAT
THAT MOMENTS LATER WOULD
ESCALATE
THAT MOMENTS LATER WOULD ESCALATE INTO THIS -- A HUGE
BRAWL
ESCALATE INTO THIS -- A HUGE BRAWL SATURDAY NIGHT ON
MONTGOMERY,
BRAWL SATURDAY NIGHT ON MONTGOMERY, AL
BRAWL SATURDAY NIGHT ON MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA'S HISTORIC
WATERFRONT.
POLICE
WATERFRONT. POLICE SAY THAT THE MAN ATTACKED
WAS
POLICE SAY THAT THE MAN ATTACKED WAS DAMIAN PICKETT.
CO-CAPTAIN
WAS DAMIAN PICKETT. CO-CAPTAIN OF A RIVERBOAT.
HE
CO-CAPTAIN OF A RIVERBOAT. HE WAS TRYING TO DOCK IN ITS
DESIGNATED
HE WAS TRYING TO DOCK IN ITS DESIGNATED SPOT
HE WAS TRYING TO DOCK IN ITS DESIGNATED SPOT, BUT PEOPLE
ABOARD
DESIGNATED SPOT, BUT PEOPLE ABOARD A PRIVATE BOAT REFUSED
FOR
ABOARD A PRIVATE BOAT REFUSED FOR NEARLY 45 MINUTES TO LET
HIM.
>>
HIM. >> THEY ONLY RESPONDED TO --
WIT
>> THEY ONLY RESPONDED TO -- WITH OBSCENE GESTURES AND CURSE
WORDS
WITH OBSCENE GESTURES AND CURSE WORDS AND TAUNTING.
>>
WORDS AND TAUNTING. >> Reporter: IN THE VIDEO
PICKETT
>> Reporter: IN THE VIDEO PICKETT IS ARGUING WITH A BOATER
WHEN
PICKETT IS ARGUING WITH A BOATER WHEN HE IS SUDDENLY ATTACKED.
HE
WHEN HE IS SUDDENLY ATTACKED. HE FIGHTS BACK.
AND
HE FIGHTS BACK. AND THEN ONE PERSON SWIMS TO THE
DOCK
AND THEN ONE PERSON SWIMS TO THE DOCK TO HELP HIM AND OTHERS
FOLLOW.
HARD
FOLLOW. HARD TO IGNORE IN WHAT WAS
CAPTURED,
HARD TO IGNORE IN WHAT WAS CAPTURED, THE APPARENT RACIAL
DIVIDE
CAPTURED, THE APPARENT RACIAL DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TWO CAMPS.
WHITE
DIVIDE BETWEEN THE TWO CAMPS. WHITE MEN ATTACKING A BLACK MAN.
AND
WHITE MEN ATTACKING A BLACK MAN. AND OTHER B
WHITE MEN ATTACKING A BLACK MAN. AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE COMING TO
HIS
AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE COMING TO HIS DEFENCE.
MONTGOMERY
HIS DEFENCE. MONTGOMERY POLICE SAY THEY HAVE
CONSULTED
MONTGOMERY POLICE SAY THEY HAVE CONSULTED THE F.B.I.
BUT
CONSULTED THE F.B.I. BUT SO FAR NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE
THAT
BUT SO FAR NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT THIS I
BUT SO FAR NO EVIDENCE TO PROVE THAT THIS INCIDENT WAS RACIALLY
MOTIVATED.
>>
MOTIVATED. >> WE WERE UNABLE TO PRESENT ANY
INCITING
>> WE WERE UNABLE TO PRESENT ANY INCITING A RIOT OR RACIA
>> WE WERE UNABLE TO PRESENT ANY INCITING A RIOT OR RACIALLY
BIASED
INCITING A RIOT OR RACIALLY BIASED CHARGES AT THIS TIME.
>>
BIASED CHARGES AT THIS TIME. >> Reporter: THE FACTOR OF RACE
HAS
>> Reporter: THE FACTOR OF RACE HAS COME UP REPEATEDLY AFTER
THIS
HAS COME UP REPEATEDLY AFTER THIS VIDEO WENT VIRAL.
THIS,
THIS VIDEO WENT VIRAL. THIS, AFTER AL
THIS VIDEO WENT VIRAL. THIS, AFTER ALL, HA
THIS VIDEO WENT VIRAL. THIS, AFTER ALL, HAPPENING IN A
STATE
THIS, AFTER ALL, HAPPENING IN A STATE WITH A DEEP HISTORY OF
RACISM
STATE WITH A DEEP HISTORY OF RACISM IN A COUNTRY WHERE RACIAL
TENSIONS
RACISM IN A COUNTRY WHERE RACIAL TENSIONS ARE STILL VERY MUCH
ALIVE.
BUT
ALIVE. BUT THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR
BELIEVES
BUT THE CITY'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR BELIEVES THAT THE FIGHT WAS A
ONE-OFF.
>>
ONE-OFF. >> I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT
FOR
>> I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO A
>> I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADDRESS THIS AS AN
ISOLATED
FOR US TO ADDRESS THIS AS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
ONE
ISOLATED INCIDENT. ONE THAT WAS AVOIDABLE, AND ONE
THAT
ONE THAT WAS AVOIDABLE, AND ONE THAT WAS BROUGHT ON BY
INDIVIDUALS
THAT WAS BROUGHT ON BY INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOSE THE WRONG
PATH
INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOSE THE WRONG PATH OF ACTION.
>>
PATH OF ACTION. >> Reporter:THREE WHITE MEN
HAVE
>> Reporter:THREE WHITE MEN HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT.
A
HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. A BLACK MAN S
HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT. A BLACK MAN SEEN HITTING PEOPLE
WITH
A BLACK MAN SEEN HITTING PEOPLE WITH A FOLDING CHAIR HAS BEEN
ASKED
WITH A FOLDING CHAIR HAS BEEN ASKED TO COME IN FOR
QUESTIONING.
POLICE
QUESTIONING. POLICE SAY THERE COULD BE MORE
CHARGES
POLICE SAY THERE COULD BE MORE CHARGES LAID AS THEY CONTINUE TO
EXAMINE
CHARGES LAID AS THEY CONTINUE TO EXAMINE THIS DAMNING VIDEO.
KRIS
EXAMINE THIS DAMNING VIDEO. KRIS REYES, CBC NEWS, NEW YORK.