A deckhand involved in the riverfront fight at a dock in Montgomery, Alabama, said he was “just doing my job” when he was forced into a brawl that went viral early last month. On Monday, Dameion Pickett, the co-captain of the Harriott II, made an appearance on ABC’s Good Morning America to explain the incident, saying it began when his captain asked him to move a private boat that was illegally blocking a docking space. The owners of the small craft were drinking beer and cursing at him as Pickett informed them of his orders. He said he was only concerned about “the people on the boat; their safety” because if the Harriott II hit their boat, it would sink. Pickett said he defended himself when one of the owners physically confronted him, leading to the fight. Onlookers, who were all white, rushed in, prompting multiple Black bystanders to come to Pickett’s aid. Roshein Carlton, a crew member, asserted that racial slurs were hurled. According to the Montgomery police, five people were charged in the clash.
