DC Reaches Court Settlement with Man Detained While Protesting Troops' Patrol with Darth Vader Song
Sam O'Hara will drop claims against the district and four officers after an undisclosed settlement over a 15-minute detention, court filings say.
- On Thursday, the District of Columbia reached a settlement with resident Sam O'Hara, who sued after police detained him for playing "The Imperial March" while protesting Ohio National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.
- President Donald Trump's federal law-enforcement surge in Washington, D.C., prompted O'Hara's protest, where he used the John Williams-composed theme to trail troops on Sept. 11, 2025.
- Metropolitan Police Department officers handcuffed O'Hara for 15 to 20 minutes without charges, prompting his lawsuit alleging violations of his First Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights.
- While the district's settlement terms remain undisclosed, O'Hara's claims against Ohio National Guard Sgt. Devon Beck continue, as Beck's lawyers argue he was performing his assigned duty.
- O'Hara stated the government's efforts to silence him "backfired and brought more attention to the unjust deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C." in an ACLU news release.
47 Articles
47 Articles
DC reaches settlement with man who played 'Star Wars' music at troops
The Force is strong with Sam O’Hara. The District of Columbia agreed to pay an undisclosed amount of money to O’Hara, a district resident who says he was illegally detained for following a group of Ohio National Guardsmen and playing the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars.” On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia, which is backing O’Hara’s lawsuit over his detention, said on Friday that the District of Columbia …
US pays compensation to viral ‘Darth Vader’ protester
Washington has settled a lawsuit with an activist who played the Imperial March from Star Wars in front of National Guard troops Washington has reached a settlement with a viral protester arrested for playing the Star Wars soundtrack near National Guard troops during a crackdown on illegal immigration. The case stems from an incident in...
Man detained after playing Imperial March to troops in D.C. wins "substantial" settlement
When troops from Ohio's National Guard were deployed to Washington D.C. to menace locals as part of President Trump's crime "emergency" there, Sam O'Hara followed them around playing The Imperial…
DC police settle lawsuit man detained while protesting National Guard with Star Wars song
The Metropolitan Police Department has agreed to settle a lawsuit with a man who said his First Amendment rights were violated when he was handcuffed while protesting National Guard troops in the District.
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