Read, Watch or Listen

Sam O’Hara, a Washington DC resident, has sued four police officers, an Ohio National Guard member, and the District of Columbia after he was detained last month for trailing a Guard patrol while playing the Star Wars "Imperial March" to protest the Trump administration’s deployment. Represented by an ACLU attorney, O’Hara says officers handcuffed him after a Guard member called police, halting a peaceful demonstration he shared on TikTok. Filed in federal court in DC, the suit alleges First and Fourth Amendment violations, false arrest, false imprisonment, and battery, and seeks compensatory damages.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.