A former DEI manager at the University of Minnesota is suing the school for expelling her after she posted a photo that appeared to show her posing near an Israeli flag studded with swastikas. star tribune.
In a filing this week, Mashal Sherzad accused the agency of not only discriminating against her but also violating her First Amendment rights.
As a result, Shahzad is seeking $75,000 in damages and wants reinstatement at the university.
In addition to being a former DEI manager, Shahzad has also made a name for herself by posting fashion photos on Instagram. In one instance, she took part in glamorous photo shoots during anti-Israel protests, where she held up a Palestinian flag.
new york post report Shahzad began working at the university in late October as the program manager for diversity, equity and inclusion in the School of Public Health, the university said.
However, the university fired her in January after discovering that a photo had been posted on Facebook showing her participating in a protest against the Israel-Hamas war in December in Barcelona, Spain. did.
One of the photos showed Sherzad standing in front of an Israeli flag with a swastika on it. However, Sherzad claimed that the flag belonged to someone else and did not accept responsibility for this action.
“I cannot be responsible for other people’s intellectual property,” she said.
The complaint alleges that Shahzad posted the photo on his private Instagram account and that it was pushed to his Facebook account without his permission.
The photo in question has reportedly been deleted from her account.
In a termination letter dated Jan. 10, School of Public Health Dean Melinda Pettigrew told the former DEI manager, “Your conduct directly undermines your credibility in this role,” the newspaper reported. Reported.
“We find that your continued employment creates a real risk of significant disruption to school and university activities,” the letter said, according to the paper.
“This is especially true given the current climate surrounding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict within the university community and around the world, and the highly inflammatory nature of the images posted.”
But those who support Sherzad and have spoken out about the violence perpetrated against Palestinians believe they are being unfairly targeted.
“The facts of this case are completely unbelievable,” said CAIR Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein.
“It’s a dark day for free speech.”
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