Man Arrested For Making 'Finger Gun' Gesture Near White House

A man was arrested after making a "finger gun" gesture towards a National Guard service member near the White House earlier this week. The man, identified as William Jonathan Clark, had a cellphone in one hand and used the other to pretend to shoot at the National Guard member who was driving a van on the street, prompting the authorities to detain him, according to an affidavit of his arrest.

The 28-year-old was charged with “threats in a menacing manner” and assault on a police officer. The affidavit did not explain the assault charge, according to a report in The Hill.

The National Guard members, who do not have law enforcement powers, detained Clark until the police arrived. The police report further detailed that the National Guard member, who is from Jacksonville, Florida, was driving near the intersection of E Street NW and 15th Street Northwest, less than a quarter-mile from the White House, when Clark allegedly made the gesture shortly before 5 PM local time.

The "threatened assault in a menacing manner" charge that was levelled against Clark carries a maximum sentence of up to 180 days in prison or a $1,000 fine. Clark was released on Wednesday (Nov 4) on personal recognisance after pleading not guilty.

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While aiming a middle finger at authorities in constitutionally protected free speech, the right to bear finger guns remains in the legal gray zone.

The presence of the National Guard in the capital has become a political topic. Local officials as well as Democratic lawmakers have argued that the deployment is unnecessary, costly, and lacking a clear strategy.

According to a Pentagon task force, the number of National Guard soldiers in the city had peaked at 5,148 over the summer, which had since fallen below 3,000. A year ago, two National Guard members were ambushed in a targeted shooting, and one of them was fatally shot.