Settlement Reached in Protester’s Lawsuit Against DC
The District of Columbia has decided to settle a lawsuit initiated by a protester who was arrested while following an Ohio National Guard patrol, playing the “Imperial March” from Star Wars on his cell phone.
Sam O’Hara, the protester, alleged that he faced unlawful restraint and excessive force during his arrest. He is set to receive $50,000 as part of the settlement, according to a court filing obtained by the Associated Press.
O’Hara, who is an artist and works in the hospitality sector, expressed satisfaction with the settlement. However, he voiced concern about the implications of taxpayers covering the costs. “Those who actually violated my constitutional rights should pay a price, including by taking money out of my pension. That’s what true accountability looks like,” he said.
On September 11, 2025, O’Hara reportedly walked behind several National Guard soldiers while playing the theme music. He claimed that his actions, described in the lawsuit as satire, were a protest aimed at encouraging President Trump to deploy the National Guard for patrols in Washington, D.C.
A National Guard member contacted the police, leading to O’Hara being handcuffed for 15 to 20 minutes before being released without charges. In October of that year, he filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia, four officers from the Metropolitan Police Department, and a member of the Ohio National Guard.
In his court documents, O’Hara accused them of infringing on his First and Fourth Amendment rights, unlawfully repressing free expression, and using excessive force. The lawsuit sought both compensatory and punitive damages for alleged false imprisonment, assault, and retaliation against constitutional rights.
Last August, President Trump had declared a state of crime emergency in the nation’s capital, prompting the deployment of the National Guard. This increased federal presence stirred tensions among some residents in primarily Democratic areas, who criticized what they saw as an overreach of federal authority.
