A partial settlement has been reached in a First Amendment lawsuit filed by a Washington, D.C., man who was detained after protesting National Guard troops by playing the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars” behind them last year.
Under the settlement, the District of Columbia agreed to resolve claims stemming from the conduct of Metropolitan Police Department officers. The lawsuit, however, will continue against Ohio National Guard Sgt. Devon Beck, who allegedly summoned police to stop the protest.
“The government’s efforts to silence me ultimately backfired and brought more attention to the unjust deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.,” plaintiff Sam O’Hara said in a statement. “This settlement serves as a reminder that constitutional freedoms are worth defending, especially when those in power would prefer we stay quiet.”
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia on O’Hara’s behalf, alleges he was handcuffed and detained after peacefully following National Guard troops while playing the iconic villain theme associated with Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire.
“Our right to free speech grants us the freedom to criticize the government. Government officials don’t have to like it, but they can’t punish someone for their speech,” said Scott Michelman, legal director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia. “This episode is another demonstration of the folly of Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to patrol D.C. We don’t need them here, intimidating residents and violating their constitutional rights.”
After the settlement, the ACLU told the Washington Examiner it wouldn’t disclose the total amount.
“It was a significant amount Mr. O’Hara is pleased with but that we are not disclosing to respect Mr. O’Hara’s privacy,” Michelman told the Washington Examiner.
According to the complaint, O’Hara began staging the protest after President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops to patrol Washington in August 2025. His demonstrations involved walking behind troops while playing the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars,” a song used throughout the series to introduce the villain Darth Vader.
The lawsuit alleged that on Sept. 11, 2025, near the intersection of 14th and Q streets NW, Beck warned O’Hara that he would call D.C. police to “handle” him if he continued. Police officers then handcuffed O’Hara and detained him for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
The ACLU alleged the detention violated O’Hara’s First and Fourth Amendment rights, as well as D.C.’s law prohibiting false arrest.
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“The law might have tolerated government conduct of this sort a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” the complaint states. “But in the here and now, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests, and the Fourth Amendment – along with the District’s prohibition on false arrest – bars groundless seizures.”
The ACLU and D.C. attorney general’s office did not respond to a request for comment.