A man was arrested near the White House after making a hand gesture simulating gunfire

A man was arrested after he made a hand gesture that resembled the shape of a gun at a member of the National Guard near the White House in Washington, according to what was reported by the Independent newspaper.

According to a legal document obtained by The Hill newspaper, William Clark, 28 years old, on Monday evening made a hand gesture that mimicked the shape of a gun at a member of the National Guard, while the latter was driving a vehicle on a street adjacent to the “Ellipse” area.

Clark's arrest comes as part of a series of prominent incidents in the US capital, including an incident involving a former Olympic rowing athlete, and another in which a man threw a sandwich at federal agents.

Documents reviewed by ABC News 4 reported that Clark was holding a phone in one hand, while using his other hand to perform a movement that simulated shooting.

Members of the National Guard detained him until the police arrived, who arrested him on charges of making threats in an intimidating manner and assaulting a police officer.

Clark was released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty to the charges against him.

A judicial document submitted on Tuesday, and seen by The Hill newspaper, showed that the accused faces a misdemeanor charge of “assault or threat of assault in an intimidating manner,” without the document including a separate charge of assaulting a police officer.

Under Washington, D.C. law, a conviction on this charge may be punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.

A series of arrests in Washington

Clark's incident is the latest in a series of arrests that received widespread attention in the American capital, following the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members in the city, after President Donald Trump declared a "public safety emergency."

In September, a task force affiliated with the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) announced that the number of National Guard members deployed in Washington had fallen to less than 3,000 soldiers, after reaching its peak during the summer at 5,148 soldiers.

Among the highly publicized arrests was that of David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, who was arrested by US Park Police in June on charges of damaging the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

The aquarium was undergoing renovation work at the time, which included painting it “American flag blue,” but algae soon appeared in it and the paint layer began to peel off.

Trump claimed that vandals caused damage to the aquarium, while Hearn denied responsibility for damaging the historic site, before a criminal charge related to vandalizing property was finally dropped.

“Sandwich Man”

The arrests also included protester Sean Dunn, who was charged with assault, a misdemeanor, after video footage spread online showing him throwing a sandwich at a US Customs and Border Protection officer.

This incident turned Dan into an online symbol of opposition to the deployment of the National Guard in the capital, until he was eventually nicknamed “Sandwich Man.”

American rapper Macklemore, a vocal critic of the Israeli war on Gaza, revealed on Friday that major concert halls in the United States - including Madison Square Garden in New York - had refused to book his “Free Palestine” tour, which had just concluded three concerts in Europe, according to Reuters.

Macklemore launched this initiative after he was excluded from participating as an opening artist on Ed Sheeran's concert tour in August. Macklemore said at the time that the owners of sports halls and arenas objected to him saying the phrase “Free Palestine” on stage.

Macklemore said on social media that since then, nine American halls have refused to allow him to book appointments available until the end of the year. These halls included Madison Square, the Garden, and Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

He stated in a post: “Shows would not have been allowed to be held in these halls.” He added: “In more than 20 years of artistic tours, I have never encountered anything like this before.”

A spokesperson for MSG Entertainment, which operates Madison Square Garden and other venues, said its facilities are among the “busiest venues in the world, and are available to a very limited extent,” adding that Macklemore “is not a grand hall-level artist.”

Kia Forum representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.

Macklemore held concerts on the “Free Palestine” tour in Dublin, Paris, and London, to raise funds for organizations that support the Palestinian people. The singer said he will work with other artists and organizers to present more shows in support of this cause.

“We live in a country that prides itself on freedom of expression,” he wrote. However, we have reached a point where a handful of billionaires can decide which issues are acceptable, which voices are welcome, and which human lives are worth defending.”

Palestinian authorities say that more than 74,000 people were killed in the Israeli attack on Gaza, which began after fighters led by the Hamas movement killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Republican Anthony Constantino, who previously recorded an album of rap songs praising President Donald Trump, won a seat in the US House of Representatives in the midterm elections that took place on Friday.

American media announced the victory of Constantinou, 44, after a strong competition with Democratic candidate Blake Gendebian in the 21st congressional district in New York State.

Constantinou had anticipated the results and announced his victory on election night, when he gave a speech that included obscene language, attacked what he described as the “evil media,” and expelled a television crew from the hall in which he was celebrating.

In his speech, Constantino called on President Donald Trump to consider pardoning the former rapper and music producer known as “Diddy,” saying that Diddy is “a historic New Yorker who has made great achievements for the state of New York.”

Sean John Combs, known in the music community as “Diddy,” was sentenced to more than 4 years in prison in 2025 on charges related to prostitution.

Constantinou first attracted attention in 2024, when he placed a huge, illuminated banner bearing the phrase “Vote for Trump” on the roof of a building belonging to the poster company he owns and manages.

This year, he also released an album entitled “Thank You, President Trump,” which included rap songs whose lyrics were inspired by the president’s slogans, his passion for golf, and his book “The Art of the Deal.”

The Democrats achieved a landslide victory in the midterm elections, where they obtained a majority in both chambers of Congress, in addition to winning the governorship of states that are traditionally considered strongholds of the Republican Party, such as Texas and Georgia.