WASHINGTON — In a legal move reported by WUSA9, Sam O’Hara, 35, is pursuing action against the District and the Ohio National Guard. He asserts that he was detained after playing the iconic “Imperial March” from Star Wars as National Guard troops passed through the Logan Circle area on September 11.

The lawsuit, backed by the ACLU, highlights the context of the “Imperial March” within the Star Wars universe, where it is associated with the ominous presence of Darth Vader and other villainous characters. The suit argues that O’Hara’s choice of music served as a symbolic protest against the deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C.

O’Hara reportedly used his phone to play the music and began filming as he followed the National Guard members. According to the lawsuit, a Sergeant from the Guard confronted him, threatening to involve D.C. police officers if O’Hara did not cease his actions.

O’Hara used his phone to play the song and started recording video as he walked behind the National Guard. The lawsuit states that a National Guard Sergeant turned around and threatened to call DC Police officers to “handle” O’Hara if he didn’t stop. 

O’Hara continued recording and playing music and several DC Police officers were brought to the area. When O’Hara told officers he was protesting, the lawsuit alleges that one officer dismissed that explanation. 

“That’s not a protest. You better define protest. This isn’t a protest. You are not protesting,” the lawsuit claims the officer said. 

The lawsuit claims the officers put O’Hara in handcuffs, putting an end to his peaceful protest. 

“The law might have tolerated government conduct of this sort a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. But in the here and now, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests, and the Fourth Amendment (along with the District’s prohibition on false arrest) bars groundless seizures,” the lawsuit reads. 

The lawsuit alleges that the National Guard sergeant and D.C. officers violated O’Hara’s constitutional rights. He was reportedly detained and cuffed for 15 to 20 minutes; however, that time may have been prolonged because O’Hara allegedly asked for a DC Police supervisor. 

The man was released after telling officers he wanted to leave and no longer wished to speak to a supervisor. 

O’Hara is now suing the four DC Police officers, the National Guard sergeant, and the District of Columbia. 

The incident left O’Hara with marks on his wrist, pain in his previously injured shoulder, and anxiety around law enforcement, the lawsuit says. 

According to the lawsuit, this was not the first time O’Hara has protested the federal surge by playing the Star Wars song. 

“Three times between Aug. 29 and Sept. 10, 2025, Mr. O’Hara saw Guard members patrolling D.C.’s streets and protested them in essential the same way: He walked behind them and used his phone (and on one instance a small speaker) to play the Imperial March and record the interaction,” the lawsuit reads. In each protest, O’Hara did not speak with the National Guard members and posted recordings on TikTok to millions of viewers. 

“For their part, most Guard members ignored Mr. O’Hara, and a few smiled or laughed,” the lawsuit reads. 

The lawsuit does not have a set amount of damages to be paid, but does request that compensatory and punitive damages against all the defendants “in an amount appropriate to the evidence adduced at trial.” 

WUSA9 reached out to the DC Office of the Attorney General for a statement regarding the lawsuit and was told “no comment.”