Protester's Star Wars Tune Sparks Legal Battle

In a twist straight out of a sci-fi movie, a man's use of the "Star Wars" theme song during a protest has led to a legal showdown. Sam O'Hara, a 35-year-old from Washington, D. C. , is suing the city, claiming his rights were violated when he was detained by police for playing Darth Vader's theme song near Ohio National Guard troops. O'Hara's protest was peaceful. He followed the troops while playing the iconic "Imperial March" on his phone. His actions gained attention on TikTok, with millions viewing his interactions. But on September 11, his protest took a turn. A Guard member called the police, who detained O'Hara for 15 to 20 minutes before releasing him without charges. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, argues that O'Hara's First Amendment rights to free speech and his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizures were violated. He is seeking damages for his ordeal. This incident is part of a larger context. In August, President Donald Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, leading to the deployment of over 2, 300 National Guard troops. This move has been controversial, with many residents seeing it as an infringement on the city's autonomy. O'Hara's protest was not isolated. He had previously staged other "Star Wars"-themed protests against the Guard deployments. The troops mostly ignored him, but this time, things were different. The lawsuit highlights the tension between the federal government and the heavily Democratic district. It also raises questions about the normalization of troops patrolling city streets. O'Hara's case is now in the hands of U. S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was nominated by Trump.