'These patriots did nothing wrong': Trump says Texas trucks were 'protecting' Biden bus
AUSTIN, Texas — AUSTIN, Texas (KEYE) - President Trump is defending the actions of his supporters, stating that protesters who used their vehicles to surround a Biden campaign tour bus on I-35 were "protecting" the bus.
Friday, a group of Trump supporters in trucks and other vehicles surrounded and followed a Biden campaign bus as it drove up I-35 in Hays County.
At one point, a minor collision occurred between a Trump supporting vehicle and what has been reported to be a Biden volunteer vehicle. The confrontation was captured on video.
Sunday, at a "Make America Great Again" rally in Michigan, President Trump addressed the incident and expressed support for the protesters, saying they were protecting the bus, "because they're nice."
But it is something, did you see the way our people they... you know they were protecting his bus yesterday, because they're nice...they had hundreds of cars, Trump, Trump. Trump, and the American flag that says, you see, Trump and American flag, you ever noticed when you see the other side. I don't even see much of the other side. You don't see any, they have no spirit, they have no enthusiasm, they have no nothing but you know I don't see them, but whenever you see like a small group because there's got to be small groups there's nobody around nobody cares. But you see these groups, you never see an American flag. I always say if you look at a group and you don't see the American flag you know that's the opposition.
A Biden campaign staffer said nearly 100 vehicles were involved in the incident, slowing the bus down to nearly 20 mph on the interstate. Staffers on the bus called 911, which prompted local law enforcement to assist the bus to its destination.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now looking into the incident.
This comes just a day after the President tweeted a video of the Trump supporters following the Biden bus saying, “I LOVE TEXAS!” on Saturday evening.
He also tweeted "these patriots did nothing wrong."
Former Vice President Joe Biden commented on President Trump's response.
"There was an interstate highway in Texas, and a bunch of Trump trucks, pickup trucks with Trump flags trying to run it off the road, stopping in front of it. The president saw it, took the video and tweeted it back out and said "I love Texas," Biden said. "When I was here in Philly earlier today, there were 80 pickup trucks with the flags riding around my block, beeping their horns for a couple of hours. They shut the Garden State Parkway and blocked it. We've never had anything like this. At least we've never had a president who thinks it's a good thing," Biden said.
On Sunday, Texas Representative Terry Canales called on DPS to investigate the incident.
"The video evidence of the crimes show numerous vehicles intentionally surrounding the tour bus, endangering the bus occupants, and one driver intentionally colliding his truck into another vehicle as some sort of intimidation tactic."
RELATED: Biden campaign cancels Austin rally; Trump supporters reportedly harass bus on I-35
The Texas Department of Public Safety provided the following statement:
The incident involving a campaign bus along I-35 in Central Texas on Friday, Oct. 30, is being investigated by the San Marcos Police Department. The Texas Department of Public Safety will provide assistance as necessary. We would refer you to the San Antonio Federal Bureau of Investigation for information regarding their involvement. No additional information is available at this time.
