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ACLU Sues D.C., Guard Sergeant and MPD Officers Over Detention of 'Imperial March' Protester

The complaint says a brief handcuffing for a Star Wars–themed protest violated free‑speech rights, amounting to an unreasonable seizure.

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FILE - National Guard troops congregate at the entrance to Union Station in Washington, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, FIle)
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Overview

  • Filed in U.S. District Court, the suit names Ohio National Guard Sgt. Devon Beck, MPD Officers Tiffany Brown, J.M. Campbell, Edward Reyes-Benigno and Alfozo Lopez Martinez, and the District of Columbia.
  • According to the complaint, Sam O’Hara followed four Guard members in Logan Circle on Sept. 11 while playing The Imperial March and recording before Beck warned he would call police and then did.
  • MPD officers detained and tightly handcuffed O’Hara for roughly 15–20 minutes, released him without charges, and allegedly worsened a pre‑existing shoulder injury.
  • The lawsuit alleges First Amendment retaliation and suppression, Fourth Amendment unreasonable seizure and excessive force, plus D.C. claims for false arrest, false imprisonment and battery, and seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
  • Officials for MPD and the Ohio National Guard declined comment or did not respond as the case proceeds against the backdrop of President Trump’s crime‑emergency deployments in Washington.