THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

The District of Columbia has settled a lawsuit by a protester who said he was detained and handcuffed for following National Guard troops around the city while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars.” | NBC www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

D.C. Settles With Protester Over 'Imperial March' Arrest Source: Unsplash/ Max Fleischmann The District of Columbia has agreed to pay Sam O'Hara to settle his lawsuit over a brief detention last fall, after he followed an Ohio National Guard patrol through the city while loudly playing the "Imperial March" from Star Wars on his phone as a form of protest. According to court filings, O'Hara will drop his claims against the city and four Metropolitan Police Department officers within three business days of receiving the settlement payment. The amount is not being made public. City Deal Closes One Chapter, Leaves Guard Fight Open The settlement wraps up O'Hara's claims against the District and the Metropolitan Police Department, but it does not end the case entirely. His related claims against an Ohio National Guard sergeant remain active, according to Bloomberg Law . Court papers filed Thursday say O'Hara will file a notice of dismissal only as to the city and the four officers after the money arrives. How a Movie Theme Led to Handcuffs O'Hara's federal complaint, filed by the ACLU of D.C., says he began walking behind four Ohio Guard members in the Logan Circle area on Sept. 11, 20…

DC will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol with ... Members of the National Guard stands guard the streets near the White House complex Saturday, June 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) National Guard soldiers patrol at the base of the Washington Monument, on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Washington, looking toward the Lincoln Memorial. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) National Guard members stand near the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a resident who accused police officers of illegally detaining him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his cellphone, according to a document released Monday. The plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, sued the district, four Metropolitan Police Department officers and a guard member from Ohio over what he says washis act of protestagainst President Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C. A court filing on Thursday disclosed the settlement but didn’t specify any monetary terms. The amount is in…

Soldiers with the West Virginia National Guard speak with soldiers with the Ohio National Guard during a routine security presence patrol at the National Mall in Washington D.C., Sept. 25, 2025.  (Sgt. Katlynn Pickle/U.S. Army National Guard) X Email Reddit SMS By Dan Morse Washington Post When Sam O’Hara first spotted National Guard members on patrol in Washington, he quickly decided how he would protest. O’Hara walked up, followed them and used his iPhone to broadcast Darth Vader’s theme music. “It’s almost Pavlovian. The sound immediately makes me think of tyranny,” he recalled recently. The music - John Williams’s “The Imperial March” - lent Star Wars-inspired satire to a view expressed by many other D.C. residents: Deploying federal troops for crime control amounted to federal overreach. O’Hara repeated the stunt twice more. Passersby laughed, he said, as did a few Guard members. But on a Thursday evening last fall, a Guard member from Ohio didn’t seem amused. He called D.C. police, several of whom arrived and detained O’Hara in handcuffs for 15 to 20 minutes, O’Hara said. Afterward, O’Hara and the ACLU of DC sued, alleging his First Amendment rights were violated. On Friday,…

D.C. will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol ... National Guard members have been patrolling Washington, D.C., since last summer. Rahmat Gul / AP file Share Add NBC News to Google June 29, 2026, 5:13 PM EDT / Source : The Associated Press By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a resident who accused police officers of illegally detaining him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his cellphone, according to a document released Monday. Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. The plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, sued the district , four Metropolitan Police Department officers and a guard member from Ohio over what he says was his act of protest against President Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C. A court filing on Thursday disclosed the settlement but didn’t specify any monetary terms. The amount is included in a copy of the settlement agreement that D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb’s office provided to The Associated Press. The $50…

D.C. will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol with ‘Star Wars’ song, record says Sam O’Hara, a D.C. resident represented by ACLU of the District of Columbia, said he is satisfied with the settlement but conflicted taxpayers are footing the bill. www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

The District of Columbia settled a lawsuit brought by a protester who was detained & handcuffed after following National Guard troops thru the city while playing Darth Vader’s theme from Star Wars. The case raised concerns about free speech & the rights of peaceful protesters.

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

"The District of Columbia has settled a lawsuit by a protester who said he was detained and handcuffed for following National Guard troops around the city while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from 'Star Wars.'" Music has power. Use it for good. www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

DC will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting National Guard patrol with ‘Star Wars’ song, records say Sam O’Hara, a DC resident represented by the ACLU of the DC, said he is satisfied with the settlement but conflicted that taxpayers are footing the bill. www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

DC will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol with ... Published Monday, June 29, 2026 | 11:17 a.m. Updated 1 hour, 36 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a resident who accused police officers of illegally detaining him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his cellphone, according to a document released Monday. The plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, sued the district, four Metropolitan Police Department officers and a guard member from Ohio over what he says washis act of protestagainst President Donald Trump's federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C. A court filing on Thursday disclosed the settlement but didn't specify any monetary terms. The amount is included in a copy of the settlement agreement that D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb's office provided to The Associated Press. The $50,000 settlement includes attorney's fees and costs. O'Hara is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia. In an email on Friday, an ACLU spokesperson referred to the settlement’s financial terms as…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

The Force is with him: D.C. settles with man who protested National ... Members of the National Guard patrol near the Capitol in 2025. Al Drago / Getty Images file Share Add NBC News to Google June 26, 2026, 2:10 PM EDT By Dareh Gregorian The District of Columbia has settled a lawsuit by a protester who said he was detained and handcuffed for following National Guard troops around the city while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars.” Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. The terms of the agreement were not immediately disclosed, but the American Civil Liberties Union, which represents demonstrator Sam O’Hara in the case, said in a press release that he was receiving compensation. The group did not immediately respond to a request for more details. The D.C. mayor’s office referred questions to the local police and the D.C. attorney general’s office. Representatives for the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The incident happened in Sept. 2025, when O’Hara, a D.C. resident, was protesting against President Donald Trump…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…

DC reaches settlement with man who protested troops' patrol with Darth ... The District of Columbia has reached a settlement agreement for an undisclosed amount of money with a resident who claims police illegally detained him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” ... WASHINGTON --The District of Columbia has reached asettlement agreementfor an undisclosed amount of money with a resident who claims police illegally detained him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his phone — anact of protestagainst the Trump administration's federal law-enforcement surge in the nation's capital. A court filing late Thursday says the plaintiff, Sam O'Hara, will drop his lawsuit's claims against the district and four Metropolitan Police Department officers within three business days of receiving the settlement payment. The filing doesn't specify a dollar amount for the deal between the district and O'Hara, who is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia. In an email on Friday, an ACLU spokesperson referred to the settlement's financi…

D.C. settles lawsuit over arrest for 'Imperial March' protest - UPI.com June 26 (UPI) -- The District of Columbia and the American Civil Liberties Union on Friday settled a lawsuit over the wrongful arrest of a man for protesting the National Guard's presence in the capital. Sam O'Hara, who was arrested last year for repeatedly playing the "Imperial March" -- Darth Vader 's theme music in the Star Wars movie franchise -- behind members of the Guard who were on patrol in the District, will be paid an undisclosed amount of money in exchange for dropping his lawsuit. The ACLU filed the finalized settlement on behalf of O'Hara on Friday, ending a months-long negotiation with officials in Washington, D.C., and its Metropolitan Police Department, but a suit against the Ohio National Guard sergeant who had him cuffed and detained was still in litigation, USA Today reported. "Our right to free speech grants us the freedom to criticize the government," Scott Michelman, legal director for the ACLU's Washington, D.C., chapter, told The New York Times . "Government officials don't have to like it, but they can't punish someone for their speech," Michelman said, noting that O'Hara's settlement…

apnews.com/article/dart... The guy who was detained for playing the Star Wars Imperial March while walking behind a squad of National Guardsman, has gotten an undisclosed sum from the District of Columbia to settle his lawsuit. #StarWars #ImperialTheme #lawsuit #DC

DC will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol with ... Audio By Carbonatix WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a resident who accused police officers of illegally detaining him for following an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s theme song from “Star Wars” on his cellphone, according to a document released Monday. The plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, sued the district, four Metropolitan Police Department officers and a guard member from Ohio over what he says was his act of protest against President Donald Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in Washington, D.C. A court filing on Thursday disclosed the settlement but didn’t specify any monetary terms. The amount is included in a copy of the settlement agreement that D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb’s office provided to The Associated Press. The $50,000 settlement includes attorney’s fees and costs. O’Hara is represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia. In an email on Friday, an ACLU spokesperson referred to the settlement’s financial terms as “a significant amount” that O’Hara “is pleased with” b…

RT.com28 Jun 2026, 10:27 GMT+10 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 September last year, when Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old Washington resident, protested the troop deployment by filming Ohio National Guard members from a distance while playing Darth Vader's Imperial March from his phone. O'Hara said he chose the soundtrack as a humorous way to protest what he viewed as the militarization of Washington, comparing the guardsmen to Stormtroopers and telling the Associated Press that he felt like he was "living in a Star Wars episode or movie." O'Hara, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sued Washington, four Metropolitan Police Department officers, and an Ohio National Guard sergeant who called police to the scene. The activist argued that he was not interfering with the troops when he was handcuffed by officers for 15 to 20 minutes after Ohio National Guard Serg…