A jury in Texas has begun deliberating whether the incident involving the 'Trump Train' that surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus days before the 2020 election constituted political intimidation. The civil trial, which has spanned two weeks in a federal courthouse in Austin, included testimony from former Texas Democratic lawmaker Wendy Davis, who was on board the bus and is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against six supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Video evidence presented during the trial showed pickup trucks with large Trump flags slowing down to box in the bus, causing it to come to a crawl as it tried to move away from the convoy of Trump supporters. One of the defendants allegedly hit a campaign volunteer's car during the incident.
Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the defendants' actions, including conversations about 'Operation Block the Bus' and aggressive driving, amounted to political intimidation. They also highlighted 911 calls from bystanders who feared a collision due to the convoy's behavior.
On the other hand, attorneys for the defendants claimed that there was no intent to harm anyone and that their actions were protected speech. They denied any coordinated plan to intimidate or harass the Democrats on the bus.
The jury will have to determine whether the defendants engaged in behavior that aimed to suppress the political support of President Joe Biden by intimidating, harassing, or injuring the individuals on the bus. The trial also brought attention to a separate settlement between the City of San Marcos and the plaintiffs, which included a payment of $175,000 and mandated political violence training for law enforcement.
The incident has sparked debate over the boundaries of political expression and the implications of such actions on the safety and well-being of individuals involved in political campaigns.
