Food item hurled by protester reportedly burst and created yellow spot on immigration officer, legal proceedings reveal
A federal customs official has stated under oath he could detect through his protective gear the force of a deli item launched at him by a capital city activist, who has gone on trial for physical attack.
Federal border agent the government official told the jury the snack "exploded all over him" and he "could smell the vegetables and yellow sauce" on his work clothing.
Neither side challenges that the defendant, 37, did in fact throw vulgar language and a prepared food item at officers assigned by President Donald Trump to monitor the Washington DC in late summer.
The occurrence was captured on video and spread across the internet, making Mr Dunn a representation of protest in Washington DC to the former president.
Government prosecutors originally tried to achieve major offense allegations against Mr Dunn, but a judicial committee chose not to prosecute him.
The former president's sending of National Guard troops to the federal district this season generated outrage from some of the city's residents, who saw it as a partisan deployment of the armed forces.
Per court papers, Mr Dunn walked up to a police contingent at about late evening on the summer date, calling them "extremists" and shouting: "Why are you here? Your presence is unwanted in my city!"
The trial observed a demonstration from the officer on the trial day as he testified against the accused.
"I detected it through my body armor," he testified of the item's force, mentioning that an vegetable piece remained from his police radio and sauce discolored his clothing.
Mr Dunn's lawyer, Julia Gatto, stated in her opening statement that throwing the food item was a "non-threatening act that did not, could not, result in harm".
But government attorney the prosecutor said the accused must be held accountable.
"Regardless of identity, you can't just go around hurling objects at others because you're angry," the attorney declared.
After the reported incident was revealed, the defendant was dismissed from his job as a legal assistant in the government law department.
