The internet is abuzz with mentions of Nathaniel Alexander, the inventor of the folding chair, in the wake of a brawl that erupted at Montgomery’s Riverfront Park on the night of August 5, 2023. Video footage captured the entire incident, which involved individuals now in police custody.
According to reports from the New York Post, the brawl originated when a group of boaters clashed with a dock security guard. The altercation began after the guard requested the boaters to relocate their pontoon boat to accommodate the Harriott II Riverboat.
In an unexpected turn of events, a folding chair was used during the brawl, leading to online reactions referencing Nathaniel Alexander. The internet responded with a wave of humorous memes, connecting the chair’s use to Alexander’s invention.
Nathaniel Alexander designed the folding chair for settings like schools, churches, and auditoriums. Notably, his design included a bookrest that benefitted those seated behind it.
The brawl at Riverfront Park in Montgomery garnered widespread attention on platforms like Twitter. Numerous users created memes, playfully invoking Nathaniel Alexander’s name in their commentary.
Nathaniel Alexander designed the folding chair for his descendants to be used for times like this! pic.twitter.com/U8ko9Z2rzl
— Soul King (@SoulKingLives) August 7, 2023
Interestingly, the name Nathaniel Alexander can sometimes be confused with that of a former governor of North Carolina. However, the inventor’s timeline doesn’t align with the folding chair’s patent, as he lived during the early 1800s and passed away long before its creation. The credit for various patents related to folding chairs also goes to individuals like M.S. Beach and J.P.A. Spaet.
in honor of Nathaniel Alexander. pic.twitter.com/FkiBXDTZDe
— Luckyiam (@LuckyovLegends) August 7, 2023
The incident at Riverfront Park unfolded when a confrontation emerged between a white man and a black security guard around 7 pm on Saturday. The guard requested the man to relocate his boat due to a reservation conflict. The situation escalated when another man punched the security guard, sparking a scuffle that drew in additional participants. Witnesses caught the chaotic scene on video, including bystanders rushing to the guard’s aid, even swimming across the river.
While the videos circulated online, some also showed black individuals arriving to support the security guard. Multiple arrests were made in connection with the brawl. As of August 6, 2023, the Montgomery Police Department issued four arrest warrants, and authorities plan to review social media footage to determine further actions.
