An 18-year-old man was arrested Tuesday in Florida for allegedly threatening two supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris with a machete outside an early voting site, the latest in a series of disputes over early voting and mail-in voting. This is the latest in a series of threats and attacks.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. in Neptune Beach, Florida, a small city east of Jacksonville. The man, identified by police as Caleb James Williams, arrived at the polling place at the city’s Beaches branch with seven companions. The group carried flags supporting former President Donald J. Trump and confronted people carrying Harris signs outside the library.
Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael J. Key Jr. said Williams exchanged words with a 54-year-old woman and a 71-year-old woman before brandishing a machete. Police responded quickly to the 911 call. phone.
Video provided by the Duval County Democratic Party chairman shows Williams and his allies cheering loudly and waving President Trump flags. In the video, Williams is seen holding a machete.
“This group arrived to protest and antagonize opposing political factions,” Key said at a news conference Tuesday, adding that the group went to early voting locations “for other reasons.” .
An image released by Neptune Beach Police shows Caleb James Williams holding a machete. Source…From Neptune Beach Police Department
Williams is charged with aggravated assault of a person over 65, improper display of a firearm or dangerous weapon, and voter intimidation and oppression. Chief Key said the passengers were 16 and 17 years old and officers believe their actions “did not rise above the threshold of a crime,” but added the investigation is still ongoing.
Calls to the phone number listed for Williams’ family were not immediately answered Wednesday. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office records did not list an attorney for him.
Duval County Democratic Party Chairman Daniel Henry said in a statement: “Violence and intimidation have no place in our democratic process. The Duval County Democratic Party supports those who seek to peacefully express their opinions without fear of retaliation.”
The county Republican Party issued a statement referencing the assassination attempts on Mr. Trump in July and September, criticizing Democrats for calling some Republicans Nazis, and concluding with a “call for calm.” It did not mention the Trump paraphernalia of Mr. Williams and his associates.
Other incidents of violence and threats of violence have occurred across the country during early voting and mail-in voting over the past few weeks. Early Monday morning, someone set fire to ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, and a similar arson incident was reported last week at a U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Phoenix.
Four years ago, poll workers, the secretary of state, and other election officials came under fire after Trump repeatedly promoted the lie that the 2020 election was stolen from him, on January 6, 2021. On Sunday, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. Authorities are preparing for similar threats and attacks this year.
Susan Campbell Beachy contributed to the research.
