The District of Columbia has settled a lawsuit with protester Sam O’Hara, who was arrested while following an Ohio National Guard patrol and playing the Darth Vader theme song on his cellphone. O’Hara will receive $50,000 after alleging unlawful detention and excessive force, as stated in a court filing obtained by The Associated Press.
O’Hara, who works in the hospitality industry, expressed satisfaction with the settlement but noted concerns about taxpayer funding for the settlement. He stated, "Those who actually violated my constitutional rights should be the ones paying the price, like taking the money from their pensions. That’s what real accountability looks like."
The incident occurred on September 11, 2025, when O’Hara walked behind several National Guard troops and played "The Imperial March" in protest of President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops in D.C. neighborhoods. According to the lawsuit, a National Guard member called the police, who detained O’Hara for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing him without charges. O’Hara's lawsuit claimed violations of his First and Fourth Amendment rights, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for false imprisonment, battery, and constitutional retaliation. The lawsuit was filed against Washington, D.C., four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard member. The increased presence of National Guard members in D.C. began in August 2025 after Trump declared a crime emergency.