Washington D.C. – Sean Dunn, a former Department of Justice employee, was acquitted of assault on November 4, 2025, after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during protests in August 2024.Teh incident, which occurred amidst a period of federal presence in the city, sparked debate over the line between protest and assault.
On August 10,2024,Dunn reportedly shouted “You in my city!” and “fascists” at officers before throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent,Gregory Lairmore,then fleeing the scene. Lairmore testified the sandwich “kind of exploded all over my uniform” and “smelled of onions and mustard,” though the defense argued imagery suggested the sandwich remained in its wrapper.
Dunn’s defense team characterized the act as a “harmless gesture” of protest, arguing “words without force are never assault.” Prosecutors countered that Dunn knowingly threw the sandwich at the agent ”at point-blank range.”
A grand jury initially declined to indict Dunn on a felony assault charge in august 2024, but he was later charged with a misdemeanor. the case proceeded to federal court, where Judge Carl Nichols acknowledged the unusual nature of the proceedings.
Following the incident, Dunn was fired from the Justice Department. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated he was an example of the “deep state,” adding, “If you touch any law enforcement officer, we will come after you. I just learned that this defendant worked at the Department of Justice – NO LONGER.”
Dunn was initially apprehended and released by local police,but afterward rearrested at his home by federal agents,despite offering to surrender. Video of the second arrest was posted on X by the White House.
The acquittal is being viewed by some as a presentation of resistance by D.C. residents to federal intervention in the city,following previous grand jury decisions to decline indictments in similar cases. A GoFundMe campaign revealed Dunn is a veteran of the US Air Force, having served in Afghanistan before entering government service.
