A Tamaqua man who organized a bus trip to Washington, D.C., Wednesday to support President Donald Trump said he didn’t approve of the actions of those who violated the U.S. Capitol building.

“I was surprised that those people could do that to the people’s house,” Tom Williams said.

He said, “Violence isn’t the answer. It’s counterproductive.”

While outside the building, he saw a man wearing camouflage pants say, “We made it all the way through.”

Williams at first had to comprehend what he said.

“At no time was I in any kind of fear,” he said because he was with like-minded people.

However, he said he did witness police hit people with clubs while the were climbing the Capitol building.

“I certainly don’t, I haven’t and didn’t promote any type of violence,” Williams said.

He understood the frustration of the people though.

“You don’t always get the guy you vote for,” he said.

He described the audacity of the man who sat in the seat normally reserved for the vice president as one of “a self-promoter.”

He said the overall atmosphere of the day before the incident was “inclusive.” He did not go inside the Capitol building.

Williams organized the two-bus trip from Tamaqua to “answer the call” of the president for support. In all, 65 attended, although 77 preregistered. Attendees were mostly from Tamaqua and the surrounding area and encouraged to wear masks, which were provided if riders didn’t have one. Two buses were taken to adhere to social distancing, he said.

An itinerary was provided.

A published ad for the trip said that anyone interested could go for free. The goal was to show support for Trump and to support “the constitution and our way of life.”

All riders on the bus returned safely. He does not know what everyone did while there. He doesn’t have any reason to believe those who rode the bus didn’t act in a peaceful manner. The ad recommended those attending stay together.

“We are peaceful protesters and unity is our strength,” the ad reads.

Williams marched to Capitol Hill after listening to Trump at the 11 a.m. Ellipse event.

When he began receiving updates on the incident at the Capitol, he said he decided to go back to the bus. Several riders were there already. The bus left at its scheduled 5 p.m. departure time.

Williams said not enough was done to allay concerns about irregularities during the election.

“They did not do their due diligence,” he claimed of those in Congress.

He doesn’t agree Trump should be removed from office before his term expires.

“He wasn’t inciting violence or anything like that,” he said, adding people are responsible for their actions.