Man Waves Machete with Trump Supporters at Florida Polling Station

An 18-year-old Florida man is under arrest after allegedly wielding a machete at a polling station on Tuesday, seemingly intending to harass voters with differing political views, according to police.

The incident occurred at the Beaches Branch Library in Neptune Beach, where early voting was underway for the upcoming Nov. 5 election.

Authorities identified the man as Caleb Williams, who arrived with a group reportedly there to demonstrate support for former President Donald Trump. Police say Williams, accompanied by about seven other teenagers aged 16 or 17, came to the polling site “to protest and antagonize the opposing political side,” as Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael Key described it during a press briefing.

Key explained that Williams became confrontational, raising the machete “in an aggressive, threatening posture” toward two women, aged 71 and 54. Distressed by the encounter, the women immediately contacted law enforcement. “To say I’m disturbed is an understatement,” Chief Key commented.

Williams now faces charges of aggravated assault on a person over 65 and improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon. According to Key, the group’s presence was “for no other reason but for ill intentions, to cause a disturbance.” The police chief emphasized, “This is not an incident solely of a First Amendment protected right but one where they were simply there to cause a ruckus. Voting in our country is one of the most sacred and protected rights we have. Ensuring everyone’s right to vote is crucial and it will not be impeded.”

The Neptune Beach Police Department posted photos of Williams on its Facebook page, including an image of him holding the machete overhead and another of the weapon itself. His booking photo from the Duval County Jail was also shared.

Video footage from the scene, released by CBS affiliate WJAX-TV, shows the group waving Trump flags and chanting in support of his reelection campaign. The video also shows Williams waving a Trump flag speared onto the end of his machete. Williams remained in custody as of Wednesday morning, according to WJAX-TV.