A Washington DC protester, Sean Dunn, has been acquitted of misdemeanor assault charges after a viral video showed him throwing a sandwich at a US border patrol agent. The incident, which occurred on August 10, has become a symbol of local opposition to President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal agents and National Guard troops to the city. Dunn, 37, did not deny the act but argued it was not criminal. The jury’s verdict followed a two-day trial, during which Customs and Border Patrol agent Gregory Lairmore testified about the sandwich ‘exploding all over him’ and leaving stains on his uniform. Dunn, who was fired from his job as a paralegal in the Department of Justice after the incident, expressed relief at the acquittal, stating he was ‘looking forward to moving on with my life.’ Initially, government prosecutors sought felony charges, but a grand jury declined to indict him, leading to the lesser misdemeanor charge. The deployment of troops to Washington DC this summer sparked outrage among residents, who viewed it as a politicization of the military. The White House defended the move as necessary to combat crime. During the trial, Lairmore recounted the incident, describing how the sandwich’s impact was felt through his ballistic vest and how he became the subject of jokes among colleagues. Dunn’s lawyer, Julia Gatto, argued that the widespread humor surrounding the incident demonstrated it was not a serious assault. The case has highlighted the ongoing tensions between local residents and federal authorities in the nation’s capital.