Supporters of President Donald Trump gathered on the I-35 highway just outside Austin, Texas, on October 30 and surrounded a Joe Biden-Kamala Harris campaign bus that was touring the state after leaving San Antonio.
Biden and Harris were not on the bus, though Harris was campaigning in the state at the time. The bus was driving local Democratic candidates to an event that was subsequently canceled due to security concerns. Texas congressional candidate and former state senator Wendy Davis was among those on the bus, the Texas Tribune reports.
According to the Texas Tribune, the FBI is looking into the incident. See videos below to watch what happened:
Videos Showed Trucks With Trump Flags Surrounding the Bus & Driving Close to It Down I-35
The video below, shared on Twitter by a Trump supporter, shows the trucks surrounding the Biden-Harris bus as it drove down I-35 in what its planners called “Trump Train New Braunfels.” Although the person who tweeted the video said that Harris was on the bus, local publication My Canyon Lake reported that the bus was carrying several Texas Democratic candidates, including former state Senator Wendy Davis and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett.
A YouTube video below, titled “New Braunfels Trump Train 2020,” shows trucks surrounding the bus as it drives down I-35. My Canyon Lake reported that this video appears to be near the Solms Exit Road 183, heading north.
Below is another video of the trucks following the Biden-Harris bus. Eric Cervini said he had traveled to Texas to help the Biden-Harris campaign and saw supporters waiting on I-35 for the bus to appear, KXAN reported.
Cervini tweeted a video showing trucks pulled over on the side of the access road, writing:
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… See all these pickup trucks with Trump flags? They were sitting along I-35, waiting to ambush the Biden/Harris campaign bus as it traveled from San Antonio to Austin… These Trump supporters, many of whom were armed, surrounded the bus on the interstate and attempted to drive it off the road. They outnumbered police 50-1, and they ended up hitting a staffer’s car…
The Biden bus was not driven off the highway and no one was injured, KXAN reported. Videos show a large number of trucks surrounding the Biden bus and driving close to the bus as it traveled down I-35. The Biden campaign told Forbes that the trucks “attempted to slow the bus down and run it off the road.”
Cervini tweeted that no one was hurt, but the police didn’t help when he tried to get their attention.
Texas State Representative Rafael Anchia tweeted that the cars blocked traffic for about 40 minutes while surrounding the bus as it drove down the highway.
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.
Katie Naranjo, chair of Travis County Democratic Party, tweeted that one volunteer’s car was hit in the process.
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.
Randi Ceh, whom My Canyon Lake reported is the wife of Trump Train New Braunfels founder Steve Ceh, posted videos and photos on Facebook of the trucks and cars on I-35 and disputed the report that a white SUV was damaged by a Trump supporter hitting the car. Ceh wrote that the Trump supporter’s car was in its lane when the Biden van and the white SUV crossed the lane.
Some Trump supporters referred to the event as “Operation Block the Bus.”
The Event Just North of Austin Was Canceled
As the Biden bus rolled down 11th street toward I-35, Trump supporters scrambled to their trucks to follow it. @cbsaustin
Texas State Representative Sheryl Cole tweeted that a joint event with the Biden campaign in Pflugerville, Texas — which is just north of Austin — was canceled because of security reasons. She wrote: “This is a 1st for me – but we just cancelled a joint event in Pflugerville w/@JoeBiden campaign, @AustinYoungDems, & more, due to security reasons. Unfortunately, Pro-Trump Protestors have escalated well beyond safe limits. Sorry to all who looked forward to this fun event.”
My Canon Lake reported that Trump Train New Braunfels had said there were more than 650 vehicles and 1,100 people at the event.
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