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1h ago

D.C. Agrees to $50,000 Settlement With Protester Detained While Playing ‘Star Wars’ Theme

The payout resolves claims against the city and four police officers and leaves a separate lawsuit against an Ohio National Guard sergeant unresolved.

National Guard members stand near the Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
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)
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Overview

  • A settlement disclosed Monday, June 29, 2026, shows the District will pay $50,000 to Sam O’Hara and he agreed to dismiss his claims against the city and four MPD officers within three business days of payment.
  • The payment covers attorney fees and costs and the agreement explicitly says the District does not admit wrongdoing.
  • O’Hara says he was handcuffed for about 15 to 20 minutes on Sept. 11, 2025, after he followed an Ohio National Guard patrol while playing “The Imperial March” on his phone and was later released without charges.
  • Separate claims against Sgt. Devon Beck of the Ohio National Guard remain active in federal court and Beck has moved to dismiss those counts while asserting defenses including qualified immunity.
  • The case sits against the backdrop of President Trump’s 2025 federal National Guard deployment to Washington, D.C., a prolonged presence that has heightened local tensions and helped frame legal questions about how police and troops respond to public protest.