A 28-year-old man was arrested this week after allegedly threatening National Guard troops near the White House by making a 'finger gun' gesture. The arrest comes amid ongoing tensions between locals and the National Guard in Washington D.C.
Arrest and Charges
Court documents describe William Clark's actions as allegedly making a "finger gun" gesture at National Guard troops near the White House. He was arrested for "threats in a menacing manner", which carries a maximum sentence of up to 180 days in prison or a $1,000 fine. The documents also said he carried out "assault on a police officer".
According to the documents, he was "holding a cell phone in one hand while the other hand was making a shooting gesture with a finger gun". Mr Clark is facing a misdemeanour charge and pleaded not guilty, according to court records.
Incident Details
The incident occurred at 15th and E streets NW at around 5.20pm local time, and he was detained by National Guard members until D.C. police arrived. The National Guard has been in the US capital for more than a year.
Troops were also deployed to at least seven states for the midterm election held on Tuesday. Their focus was on monitoring ballot boxes and assisting in election security efforts.
Context and Concerns
The Guard's presence has not been received well by local officials, who have said the deployment is unnecessary, costly and lacking a clear strategy. Last month, one member of the National Guard was shot in the leg while trying to break up a fight in Washington DC, and last year, two others were shot blocks away from the White House, killing one and critically wounding the other.
US President Donald Trump has argued that the National Guard has significantly reduced crime in the capital. But critics say that guardsmen cannot make arrests and have not been stationed in high crime areas. According to The Hill news outlet, the Pentagon is expected to keep a National Guard presence in DC until Inauguration Day 2029.
