Young Trump supporter ‘threatened elderly Democrat with a machete’

A young Donald Trump supporter has been accused of threatening two Kamala Harris supporters, including a 71-year-old, with a 2ft-long machete, police said.

The local Republican chairman suggested the incident occurred following “outrage”. Joe Biden’s “garbage” comments and claims by Democrats that Trump is a fascist.

Caleb James Williams, 18, is charged with aggravated assault on a person 65 or older and misdemeanor display of a dangerous weapon, according to Neptune Beach police records.

Williams and seven others, ages 16 and 17, went to a library in suburban Jacksonville on Tuesday afternoon specifically “to protest and antagonize the opposing political side,” Police Chief Michael Key Jr. said.

They started yelling at a group of Harris supporters carrying Trump flags, which escalated further.

The police chief said a photo taken by an alleged witness showed Williams “waving a machete above his head in an aggressive, threatening stance.”

Harris supporters are 71 and 54 years old.

“This goes far beyond expressing freedom of speech. You have the right to say that you have a First Amendment right to your piece, but that goes out the window as soon as you raise the machete above your head, Mr. Key said.

Williams, a restaurant busboy, was being held without bail in the Duval County Jail until his arraignment Wednesday morning.

The minimum sentence for aggravated assault on an elder in Florida is three years in prison. The maximum is 15.

Key said the seven teenagers who were with Williams did not appear to have committed any crime, but the investigation was ongoing.

‘A disturbing act of intimidation’

Duval County Democratic Chairman Daniel Henry said the incident was a “disturbing act of intimidation.”

“Violence and intimidation have no place in our democratic process.

“The Duval County Democratic Party stands with those who wish to express their views peacefully and without fear of reprisal.

“We urge all citizens to continue to engage in civic activities in a respectful and lawful manner,” Henry said in a statement.

Dean Black, Duval’s Republican chairman, thanked police for arresting Williams but said in a statement that Democrats and others were responsible for the angry political atmosphere surrounding the election.

“In an environment of high political tension, President Trump survived two assassination attempts and Republican supporters being derided as Nazis and called ‘trash’ by Joe Biden, we urge calm,” Mr. Black said.

Joe Biden on Tuesday calls Puerto Rico to talk about a comedian at a Trump rally over the weekend “a floating island of garbage” He said: “The only garbage I see floating around is his supporters.”

Thomas Matthew CrooksThe 19-year-old Pennsylvania man who shot at Trump during a rally in July was a registered Republican but had donated $15 to a Democratic group. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper.

Ryan Routh, who was accused last month of spying on Trump on his Florida golf course in hopes of hitting him, was once a registered Democrat but says he voted for Trump in 2016. He is currently a registered independent. He also wrote a book calling for Iran to assassinate Trump.

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