DC pays $50,000 after police cuffed a man for playing Star Wars music at Guard troops
On September 11, 2025, during the federal law enforcement surge and National Guard deployment in Washington, Sam O'Hara followed an Ohio National Guard patrol in Northwest DC while playing the "Imperial March" from Star Wars on his phone. After a Guard sergeant called police, Metropolitan Police Department officers handcuffed O'Hara for 15 to 20 minutes, saying he was detained for harassing the Guard, and released him without charges. Represented by the ACLU of DC, he sued the District, four MPD officers and the sergeant in October 2025 under the First and Fourth Amendments. In June 2026 the District agreed to pay $50,000, including attorney's fees, in a settlement that states it is not an admission of wrongdoing. No discipline of the officers was reported. Claims against the Guard sergeant continue.
"That's what real accountability looks like."
The sergeant then called the police after O'Hara did not say anything.
Not yet contacted for this story.
No outcome recorded yet.