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A US immigration agent has stated under oath he could feel through his protective gear the collision of a deli item launched at him by a capital city activist, who has gone on trial for assault.

Immigration and customs agent Gregory Lairmore testified to the court panel the food item "exploded all over him" and he "noticed the aromatic vegetables and yellow sauce" on his work clothing.

No party challenges that the accused, 37, did in fact lob obscenities and a deli-style sandwich at authorities sent by President Donald Trump to patrol the Washington DC in late summer.

The incident was recorded on video and became popular online, making the accused a symbol of protest in the capital to the former president.

Federal attorneys at first tried to obtain serious criminal counts against the accused, but a grand jury refused to prosecute him.

The administration's sending of military personnel to the federal district this summer caused anger from some of the city's residents, who saw it as a political use of the troops.

Per court papers, Mr Dunn walked up to a police contingent at about 23:00 on 10 August, referring to them "fascists" and yelling: "Why are you present? Your presence is unwanted in my city!"

The court witnessed a re-enactment from the officer on the court date as he took the stand against the defendant.

"I detected it through my body armor," he stated of the item's force, noting that an onion string hung from his official equipment and sauce stained his clothing.

Mr Dunn's attorney, the defense attorney, stated in her opening statement that hurling the food item was a "non-threatening act that did not, could not, create physical damage".

But state lawyer John Parron argued the defendant must be held accountable.

"No matter who you are, you should not hurling objects at others because you're angry," Mr Parron said.

Following the reported incident became public, Mr Dunn was dismissed from his job as a paralegal in the government law department.