🔗 Share this article

A federal customs official has declared in court he could sense through his body armor the force of a sandwich hurled at him by a DC demonstrator, who has faced court proceedings for assault.

Federal border agent the government official told the legal jury the snack "exploded all over him" and he "could smell the aromatic vegetables and condiment" on his work clothing.

No party contests that Sean Dunn, thirty-seven, did in fact hurl obscenities and a made-to-order snack at authorities sent by the former president to secure the Washington DC in the summer month.

The incident was filmed on camera and spread across the internet, making the defendant a figure of opposition in the capital to the administration.

Federal attorneys initially tried to achieve felony charges against the accused, but a legal panel chose not to indict him.

The administration's deployment of military personnel to the capital this warmer months sparked protest from some of the city's residents, who viewed it as a political use of the armed forces.

Based on court papers, Mr Dunn approached a police contingent at about 11 PM on the summer date, calling them "extremists" and exclaiming: "Why are you here? Your presence is unwanted in my city!"

The court observed a reenactment from the agent on the court date as he took the stand against Mr Dunn.

"I detected it through my body armor," he testified of the item's force, adding that an onion string remained from his police radio and mustard discolored his shirt.

The defendant's legal counsel, the defense attorney, stated in her court presentation that throwing the deli product was a "harmless gesture that did not, could not, cause injury".

But state lawyer John Parron maintained Mr Dunn must be considered responsible.

"Whatever your status, you can't just go around launching items at others because you're upset," Mr Parron stated.

After the alleged assault became public, Mr Dunn was terminated from his position as a paralegal in the government law department.