The man who threw a sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in Washington, D.C. — becoming a symbol of resistance against President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in the U.S. capital — has been found not guilty of assault.
Sean Charles Dunn, a former Justice Department employee now known as the “Sandwich Guy,” was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault by a jury in federal court in D.C. on Thursday.
Video of the sandwich-throwing went viral, turning Dunn into a symbol of resistance against Trump’s deployment of federal agents to combat what he claimed was a crime problem in the nation’s capital.
Lawyers for Dunn argued that the August 10 incident was a “harmless gesture” during an act of protest and was protected by the First Amendment. Meanwhile, prosecutors had argued that Dunn knew he did not have the right to throw the sandwich at the agent.
After the not guilty verdict was read, Dunn hugged his lawyers. He later told reporters, “I’m relieved and I’m looking forward to moving on with my life.”
The jury deliberated for two hours on Wednesday and four on Thursday before coming back with their decision.
With reporting by the Associated Press.
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