Police said that an 18-year old Florida man was arrested after he used a machete to intimidate voters who didn’t share his political beliefs. Authorities said the man was part of a group that went to the polling station to show support for Donald Trump.
Caleb Williams was charged with aggravated assailant against a person aged 65 or older, and improper display of a firearm for his alleged involvement in the incident. This was announced by Neptune Beach Police chief Michael Key during a press conference.
The incident occurred at about 4:00 pm on Tuesday, in the parking lot Beaches Branch Library. This was a facility that allowed early voting ahead of the November 5 election. Williams and a group teenagers arrived on the property to “protest” the opposition political party, Key stated. Williams was the only adult in the group, which included seven other teenagers.
According to the police, Williams escalated the situation when he “held a machete aggressively and threateningly over his head.” Police said that Williams held the weapon in front of two women, one 71 years old and another 54 years old.
Key added that the women had called police because they were afraid. “To say I am disturbed is an understatement.”
The group had no other intention than to create a disturbance. The police chief said that this was not an incident involving a First Amendment right but rather a situation where the group simply wanted to create a disturbance. Voting is one of our most protected and sacred rights. It is important to ensure that everyone has the right to vote.
On its Facebook page, the Neptune Beach Police Department posted an image showing Williams holding a machete in front of his face while parking. They also shared another image of Williams’ weapon. The Neptune Beach Police Department also shared his booking photo taken at the Duval County Jail.
Williams was still in jail on Wednesday morning. A video taken at the scene of the incident showed a group of teens holding signs and flags supporting Trump’s campaign for re-election, while chanting his name. Williams appeared in the video to have speared a flag with his machete and waved it up in the air.
