“Supporters of President Donald Trump used their personal vehicles — decked out with campaign gear — to swarm a stretch of highway outside Austin, Texas, Friday in an apparent attempt to bully a Biden-Harris campaign bus and drive Democratic activists off the road. Photos and video of the incident from different angles showed a line of pickup trucks waving Trump 2020 flags pull onto the left shoulder of Interstate Highway 35 as the bus approached. Other images appeared to show the same vehicles surround the bus, box it in and force it to reduce its speed. Today, @realDonaldTrump supporters followed the Biden bus throughout central Texas to intimidate Biden supporters. They ran into a person’s car, yelling curse words and threats. Don’t let bullies win, vote. pic.twitter.com/CIyEWwbvqU— Katie Naranjo (@KatieNaranjo) October 30, 2020 One of the Trump supporters went so far as to hit a white SUV driven by a Democratic campaign staffer, Katie Naranjo, chair of the Travis County Democratic Party, said in a tweet that included a photo of the scuffed and dented vehicle. “They ran into a person’s car, yelling curse words and threats,” Naranjo wrote. She added: “Don’t let bullies win, vote.” Others, such as Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia, alleged that the Trump supporters carried guns. A white hearse was also reportedly seen among the vehicles as part of the Trump caravan. Armed Trump trolls harassing Biden Bus on I-35, ramming volunteer vehicles & blocking traffic for 40 mins. Eric Trump took to FB to incite this violence. At least the Trump hearse is appropriate given the 200K+ Americans who have died due to his incompetence. #VoteHimOut pic.twitter.com/vUyhhKyceo— Rafael Anchía (@RafaelAnchia) October 30, 2020 A rally planned for later in the afternoon was canceled due to the safety threat posed by the Trump gang, Naranjo and Democratic Texas state Rep. Sheryl Cole both said in social media posts. Speakers were to include U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and former U.S. Rep. Wendy Davis, who is running for Congress again this term. But Texas Democrats said in a statement to CBS Austin that the event was canceled so as not to divert attention from Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, who was speaking elsewhere in the state. The campaign of Joe Biden did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for clarification Saturday. I flew down to Texas to help with the Biden/Harris bus tour, intended to drum up enthusiasm at polling locations. Instead, I ended up spending the afternoon calling 911. 1/ pic.twitter.com/gKAjv7gv85— Dr. Eric Cervini (@ericcervini) October 31, 2020 CBS Austin reporters witnessed Trump supporters confront the Biden campaign bus at another point Friday afternoon, this time in a parking lot where they waved signs accusing the Biden family of being communists. Reporter Jordan Bontke said a group of Trump supporters then “scrambled to their trucks” to follow the bus. Local reporters also captured gaggles of Trump supporters ― some with truck details showing support for the conspiracy theory QAnon ― follow the Biden bus around Texas earlier in the week. As the Biden bus rolled down 11th street toward I-35, Trump supporters scrambled to their trucks to follow it. @cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/idnbDqFU3L— Jordan Bontke (@JBontkeCBS) October 30, 2020 The incidents are not isolated. Voters across the country have reported seeing crowds and caravans of Trump supporters honking, jeering and waving flags near polling places as early voting began. (State and local laws vary on how close such activity can be to polling places or what constitutes illegal voter intimidation.) One video posted to social media purported to show police in Fort Worth, Texas, accompany Trump supporters Friday as they sidled up to a polling place in a predominantly Black neighborhood. HuffPost could not independently verify the video’s content.
