Two people involved in the now-infamous Alabama waterfront melee are toting merchandise based on the event that took place on August 5. The pair wasn't pleased that other people were capitalizing off their likeness and the altercation they were a part of.
According to TMZ, Reggie Ray—who was charged with disorderly conduct after swinging (and landing) a folding chair at people during the fight—joined fellow brawl member Tammie Howard with help from attorney Jehan "J" Carter to start the 'Alabama Brawl Collection.' With unisex items retailed at $12.99 to $59.99, the collection includes tees, sweatshirts, hoodies, caps, water bottles and mugs that read slogans like "Chairman for Justice," "Fade in the Water," and "Lift Every Chair and Swing." The collection also invites customers to "celebrate the bravery of the Alabama Brawl."
On e-commerce sites like Etsy and Amazon, Ray and Howard noticed that other sellers made inventory based on the brawl, which occurred on the Montgomery Riverfront after a group docked their pontoon boat in an area reserved for the city's riverboat, the Harriott II. A confrontation happened between Black Harriott II dock worker Dameion Pickett and the group, who were white, leading a few other Harriott II crew members and Black bystanders to attack the group in Pickett's defense.
The brawl ended with five individuals being charged and a viral moment regarding the widely-shared footage and anti-Black racism in the South. “As our police department investigates these intolerable actions, we should not become desensitized to violence of any kind in our community,” Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed posted on X in the brawl's aftermath. “Those who choose violence will be held accountable by our criminal justice system.”
Along with profiting off of their involvement in the brawl, Ray and Howard want other sellers to pay up, as the two plan on taking legal action against those who've sold merch using their likeness and trademarks without their consent.
