The Conversation (0)
Sirena Bergman
Nov 01, 2020
Donald Trump has sparked shock and outrage in his latest Twitter outburst appearing to endorse tactics from his supporters which have been described as an act of violence and intimidation.
Last night, a Biden/Harris campaign event was cancelled after the bus was surrounded by pro-Trump vehicles on a highway in what appeared to be an attempt to run the bus off the road.
Many onlookers, including Democratic state representative Rafael AnchÃa, alleged that some of the Trump supporters surrounding the bus were armed.
Armed Trump trolls harassing Biden Bus on I-35, ramming volunteer vehicles & blocking traffic for 40 mins. Eric Tr… https://t.co/3TieR1mbkT— Rafael AnchÃa (@Rafael AnchÃa) 1604092912
One observer, Dr. Eric Cervini, chronicled the events on Twitter, referring to them as "Nazi tactics" and saying he had to call 911, but claimed that armed Trump supporters outnumbered police.
These Trump supporters, many of whom were armed, surrounded the bus on the interstate and attempted to drive it off… https://t.co/RwKrDJ5i01— Dr. Eric Cervini (@Dr. Eric Cervini) 1604104553
He also echoed many people's fears that things could get worse after the election.
But we can be prepared. In the next four days, we can create such a landslide that their efforts are futile, sendin… https://t.co/zjXRDTX9xL— Dr. Eric Cervini (@Dr. Eric Cervini) 1604104614
Trump, meanwhile, seemed to have a different take, tweeting out a video of the pro-Trump trucks surrounding the Biden bus to the tune of Tech N9ne's 'Red Kingdom', which has been used on social media platforms such as TikTok by Republican activists, despite the fact that that its singer is a Black Lives Matter activist celebrating a local sports team.
The president, instead of condemning what many have classed as an act of "domestic terrorism" from his supporters, seemed to endorse it, captioning the video "I LOVE TEXAS!"
Even by Trump's standards, people found this pretty shocking.
Trump is straight up endorsing dangerous intimidation of his political rivals using potentially deadly tactics. The… https://t.co/GuG0DOYENq— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1604214254
Excuse me, you monster. Shouldn’t you be denouncing violence? You are unfit, you are a disgrace, you are an insult… https://t.co/oxbVc3EkT5— Paul Feig (@Paul Feig) 1604209395
Let. This. Sink. In. Trump praised the lawless behavior of his own mob who tried to run Joe Biden’s campaign bus… https://t.co/TjGjBH28zP— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1604203865
@realDonaldTrump @POTUS This is, actually, the moment (hard as that might seem to discern) when the Attorney Genera… https://t.co/iAVwqz00bo— Joseph Robertson (@Joseph Robertson) 1604198247
Texas has become a crucial state for both candidates. While it typically leans Republican, polls have shown only a narrow lead for Trump so far.
With 38 electoral college votes, winning the state holds a huge amount of power. If Biden were to flip it, it would signify a huge win for the Democrats and could lead to a landslide victory.
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