Brawl at Galveston Cruise Terminal Results in 24 Banned Passengers

GALVESTON, Texas – A violent brawl at a cruise terminal over the weekend has led to the banning of 24 passengers from Carnival Cruise Lines. The altercation occurred on Saturday, April 26, shortly after passengers disembarked from the Carnival Jubilee, which had returned from a week-long Western Caribbean cruise.

Video footage shared on social media captured the chaotic scene, showing a large group shoving each other in the baggage area under the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Witnesses reported punches and kicks being thrown as security attempted to break up the fight.

A spokesperson for Carnival confirmed the bans, stating, “The incident occurred in the debarkation area under the authority of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The matter was turned over to law enforcement. We will not tolerate such behavior, and 24 people have been placed on our Do Not Sail list.”

Border patrol officials told KPRC 2 that approximately 10 individuals were detained during the incident, while one man, identified as Ethan Meritt-Clark, 21, of Chicago, was arrested. According to court documents, Meritt-Clark became involved in the brawl after encountering a group he had fought with earlier during the cruise.

Before the altercation escalated, Meritt-Clark claimed that the group began “hitting and stomping” him. However, he later recanted his statement and admitted to pushing an elderly man who was trying to deescalate the situation. The elderly man confirmed seeing Meritt-Clark looking angry and attempting to intervene.

Meritt-Clark is now facing first-degree felony charges for injury to an elderly individual, with a bond set at $5,000. The incident has raised concerns about passenger behavior on cruise ships, particularly following previous altercations on Carnival vessels.

This latest incident emphasizes Carnival’s stance on violence, highlighting their commitment to ensuring the safety of passengers and crew.