NEPTUNE BEACH, Florida – An 18-year-old Florida man who supports presidential candidate Donald Trump has been charged with a felony after police said he used a machete to threaten voters Tuesday at a polling place.

Police Chief Michael Key Jr. he said at a press conference that Caleb James Williams was one of eight men, seven of them minors, who went to the polling place parking lot to “protest and antagonize the opposing political side.”

Key says the group of teens approached the flaggers and “escalated into a verbal disturbance.” It says Williams brandished a machete in an “aggressive and threatening stance above his head” towards two women, aged 54 and 71.

Williams is charged with felony aggravated battery on a person 65 years or older and misdemeanor display of a dangerous weapon, Neptune Beach police records show.

“I am extremely proud of my agency for handling this incident quickly and effectively to continue to keep this polling site a safe place for voters,” Key said. “The group was there solely for bad intentions to cause disturbances.

“This is not an incident solely of a protected First Amendment right, but they were there simply to cause a scandal.”

Williams, a restaurant server, is being held in the Duval County Jail on $55,000 bond, jail records show. If the registered Republican is released, the judge ordered him to stay within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of any polling place except to cast his own vote and wear an ankle monitor.

“Violence and intimidation have no place in our democratic process,” the Duval County Democratic Party said. said in a statesmant. “The Duval County Democratic Party supports those who seek to express their opinions peacefully and without fear of retaliation. We urge all citizens to continue participating in civic activities in a respectful and legal manner.”

TO county Republican Party statement says: “The Duval County Republican Party thanks authorities for quickly apprehending the individual involved. In an environment of high political tension, where President Trump has survived two assassination attempts and Republican supporters are derided as Nazis and called ‘trash’ by Joe Biden, we urge calm as we approach the end of this season electoral”.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story..)