Viral 'Sandwich Toss' Trial Opens in D.C.: Protest Symbol or Criminal Act?

Trial Opens After Viral Video of Man Throwing Sandwich at Federal Agent

Sean Charles Dunn went on trial this week in Washington, D.C., after a video showing him throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent outside a nightclub on Aug. 10 drew national attention. Supporters hailed Dunn's act as a symbol of opposition to the Trump administration’s stepped-up federal law-enforcement presence in the capital, and murals celebrating the toss have appeared across the city.

A federal grand jury declined to return a felony assault indictment, and the U.S. Attorney's office instead charged Dunn with a misdemeanor. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump nominee, said he expected the case to last no more than two days, calling it “the simplest case in the world.”

Bystander video shows Dunn approach a group of CBP officers posted outside a club hosting a "Latin Night," shouting at them and chanting "shame" before throwing a subway-style sandwich that struck an agent in the chest. Police say Dunn fled the scene, was later apprehended and released, then rearrested after armed federal agents executed a raid on his home. Dunn's lawyers say the White House posted a produced video of that raid on its official X account and called the posting propaganda; they also say Dunn had offered to surrender prior to the raid.

At the time of his arrest, Dunn worked as an international affairs specialist in the Justice Department’s criminal division. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on social media that Dunn had been fired, calling him "an example of the Deep State."

Defense and Prosecution Positions

Dunn’s attorneys asked the judge to dismiss the case as a vindictive and selective prosecution, arguing that social-media posts by Bondi and the White House show Dunn was targeted for his political speech. Defense attorney Julia Gatto highlighted recent pardons and ordered dismissals for many Jan. 6 defendants and asked why Dunn is being prosecuted.

“It’s an obvious answer,” Gatto told the court, asserting the prosecution is politically motivated.

Prosecutors counter that political views do not provide immunity from criminal laws. In court filings they wrote that the defendant is being prosecuted "for the obvious reason that he was recorded throwing a sandwich at a federal officer at point‑blank range."

Dunn is charged with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer. The case underscores tensions in Washington over federal policing and raises questions about how prosecution decisions intersect with politics, especially in the wake of pardons and dismissals for many Jan. 6 defendants.