D.C. will pay $50,000 to man detained while protesting guard patrol with 'Star Wars' song, record says
Sam O’Hara, a D.C. resident represented by the ACLU of the District of Columbia, said he is satisfied with the settlement but conflicted that taxpayers are footing the bill.
O’Hara, an artist who works in the hospitality industry, agreed to drop his claims against the district and the MPD officers within three business days of receiving the settlement payment. The settlement isn’t an admission of wrongdoing by the district, the agreement says.
O’Hara’s settlement with the district doesn’t resolve his related claims against an Ohio National Guard member, Sgt. Devon Beck, who has asked a judge to dismiss O’Hara’s claims against him.
“Those who actually violated my constitutional rights should be the ones paying the price, like taking the money from their pensions. That’s what real accountability looks like,” he said. “This settlement is a reminder that our freedoms are worth fighting for, especially when the powerful would rather we suffer in silence.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/dc-pay-50000-man-protesting-national-guard-darth-vader-star-wars-rcna352314