‘Darth Vader’ protester wins $50K after National Guard arrest incident
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The District of Columbia has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a protester who followed an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing Darth Vader’s “Star Wars” song on his cell phone before being arrested.
Sam O’Hara will receive $50,000 after claiming he was unlawfully detained and subjected to excessive force, according to a court filing obtained by The Associated Press (AP) on Thursday.
O’Hara, who works as an artist in the hospitality industry, said he was pleased with the deal but conflicted that taxpayers were covering the costs.
“Those who truly violate my constitutional rights should be the ones who pay the price, such as taking money from pensions. This is what true accountability looks like,” he said in a statement, according to the AP. he said.
The suspect who shot the DC guard looked down on the death penalty at his first court appearance.
National Guard members gather at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, January 8, 2026 (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
On Sept. 11, 2025, O’Hara reportedly walked down a street behind several National Guard soldiers and played the “Imperial March” from “Star Wars” on her phone.
He claimed his protest, which the suit calls satire, was aimed at President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops patrolling D.C. neighborhoods.
According to the lawsuit, one of the National Guard members called the police, who stopped O’Hara and kept him “firmly” handcuffed for 15 to 20 minutes and then released him without filing charges.
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South Carolina National Guard soldiers stand guard as travelers arrive at the entrance of Union Station near the Capitol, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photo)
The following month, O’Hara filed a lawsuit against Washington, D.C., four Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers, and an Ohio National Guard member.
In court documents, O’Hara alleged that the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting his freedom of expression and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
The lawsuit sought compensatory and punitive damages for claims including false imprisonment, battery, and unconstitutional retaliation.
National Guard members patrol the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on August 30, 2025. (Andrew Leyden/Getty)
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Last August, Trump began deploying National Guard members after declaring a crime emergency in the nation’s capital.
The increased federal presence has increased tensions in the Democratic-dominated district among some residents who criticize the mandate as an overuse of federal authority.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
