DC Protester Handcuffed for Darth Vader Theme Song Sues Police After Release Without Charges
Sam O'Hara, detained and handcuffed for 15-20 minutes for playing "The Imperial March" to protest the National Guard, is suing DC police for alleged First and Fourth Amendment violations.
Overview
- Sam O'Hara was detained and handcuffed for 15-20 minutes by DC police for playing Darth Vader's theme song, "The Imperial March," to protest the National Guard.
- O'Hara's Star Wars-themed demonstration targeted the National Guard's presence and the actions of the Trump administration in Washington, D.C.
- He was released without charges following his detention, which he claims violated his constitutional rights during a peaceful protest.
- The ACLU has filed a federal lawsuit on O'Hara's behalf, accusing police officers of violating his First and Fourth Amendment rights.
- The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages from the District of Columbia for the alleged illegal detention and constitutional violations.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources, exemplified by The Columbus Dispatch, cover this story neutrally by primarily reporting the facts of the lawsuit and the plaintiff's allegations. They avoid loaded language and attribute all claims to the lawsuit or the involved parties, maintaining an objective distance from the narrative. The article also notes attempts to seek comment from the opposing side.
"The lawsuit claims O'Hara frequently protested the presence of National Guard members sent to Washington, D.C., in August."
USA TODAY"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."
NBC News"O'Hara's lawsuit says he became “deeply concerned about the normalization of troops patrolling D.C. neighborhoods.”"
ABC News"This shows the danger of deploying troops onto American streets: it puts all our basic rights at risk."
ReasonArticles (7)
Center (4)
FAQ
Sam O'Hara claims that his First Amendment right to free speech and his Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable seizure were violated during his detention by DC police.
Sam O'Hara played 'The Imperial March' to symbolically protest the National Guard deployment in Washington, D.C., associating it with the oppressive presence of Darth Vader and the evil empire from the Star Wars franchise.
Most National Guard members ignored or smiled at O'Hara's protest, but Ohio National Guard Sgt. Devon Beck threatened to call police, who then handcuffed and detained O'Hara for 15-20 minutes without charges.
Sam O'Hara has filed a federal lawsuit against four DC Metropolitan Police officers and Ohio National Guard Sgt. Beck through the ACLU, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for alleged constitutional violations and false arrest.
O'Hara posted videos of his Star Wars-themed protest on TikTok, where they were viewed millions of times, indicating significant public attention to his actions.
History
- 11d
4 articles