Showing posts with label Islamophobia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamophobia. Show all posts

Saturday, July 26, 2025

More from the ADC: a bill for censorship in Congress, discrimination at The New School in New York, the GHF, and the NEA divestment vote + news

NPR opened its 5pm All Things Considered news today with a defense of Russiagate with senior political reporter Dominico Montenaro (spelling?) and Jenn...  


On The World Friday afternoon reliably anti-China Patrick Winn (spelling?), based in Bangkok, didn't question the argument by someone with an American accent that Taiwan is full of Chinese assets, in part because Taiwanese go the the mainland and get sexually blackmailed into spying.  They claimed that the US can't share war plans with the ROC because of their unreliable client state.  Did the US government say that during the Korean and Vietnam wars as well?  Don't go to PR China, ithe subtext.  And, when people go to the USA, UK, Canada, western Ukraine, Israel, or the ROK?  


Several weeks ago Emily Fang (spelling?) reported on great powers upgrading their nuclear arsenals (a very expensive project for the US)  but the focus wasn't on the thousands of US and Russian nuclear weapons that could get ualkilled, it was on China, being threatened by the US and NATO with WWIII in the 2020's, adding to its total arsenal of a few hundred nuclear weapons each year (about 600, going up by 100 a year??).  Nothing about the cost or NPT obligations, under which existing nuclear powers were supposed to be getting rid of their stockpiles, in exchange for non-nuclear countries such as Iran, DPR Korea, Pakistan, Israel, and India not developing their own nuclear weapons (the NPT was first signed July 1, 1968:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons ).  It has been claimed that something like the use of 100 strategic nuclear weapons would be enough to cause a nuclear winter and anti-missile defenses (or first strike) wouldn't be able to stop a barrage of missiles, some nuclear and some conventional or decoys, or the new, maneuverable hypersonic missiles, so why stockpile so many nuclear weapons, and at such cost?  Fang, a graduate of Duke University, has been based in China (she was driven out, so she has grudge?), Taiwan, and now in the US, with recent reporting tours in the Middle East.


Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Cuban Revolution in 1953:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_the_Moncada_Barracks and see the CPCML's TM cpcml.ca/Tmlm2025/TS5519.HTM#1 ; the US Postal Service began July 26, 1775, during the Revolutionary War, according to NPR, but Wikipedia dates it to July 1, 1971en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postal_Service


The Korean War armistice waJuly 27, 1953 and the war had begun June 25, 1950cpcml.ca/ITN2025/TI5599.HTM#1 and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War


The People’s Summit for Korea is going on in New York City July 22nd-27th, and is being broadcast on YouTube.  (Kami-Con HAI in Huntsville, Alabama this weekend might also be being broadcast, in part, on YouTube.  [GalaxyCon in Raleigh ends July 27th.]   The  Sweetgrass Festival in Mount Pleasant, in coastal SC, was 10am-3pm today.  Moth Week 2025 ends tomorrow.) 


[According to Plantlife International July 27th iInternational Bog Dayestablished by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.  I think there are a few bogs (and cranberries) in the mountains in WNC and similar wetland habitats in the coastal plain of North Carolina.  According to Days of the Year and the National Day Calendar websites, the 26th is BagelFest Day; Days of the Year says that the 27th is Walk on Stilts Day – and I wondered how stilt walking began.]  [According to Days of the Year, the 28th is Soccer Day, the 31st is Avocado Day (another native Mesoamerican fruit if I'm not mistaken, and very popular in the USA in recent years, leading to some problems), August 1st is Mountain Climbing Day, the 2nd is Coloring Book Day, and the 3rd is Watermelon Day, though it probably doesn't refer to Palestine, where I think watermelons are a national symbol.]  


[On Cyprus July 27th:  icssmarx.org/why-cyprus-matters-aziz-sah-july-27-2025-1030-am-pacific-time/ ]


[On the NEA and the ADL August 3rd:  icssmarx.org/drop-the-adl-why-rank-file-nea-teachers-got-it-right-and-why-their-leadership-got-it-wrong-marcy-winograd-august-3-2025-1030-am-pacific-time/ ]


Georges Ibrahim Abdallah spoke on resistance in Lebanontheworker.news/2025/07/26/my-message-is-to-rally-around-the-resistance-more-than-ever-georges-abdallahs-first-speech-following-his-release/


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/mensaje-de-georges-abdallah-a-los-manifestantes-solidarios-del-14-de-junio-de-2025-en-paris/ ]


[ samidoun.net/2025/07/georges-abdallah-will-be-free-palestine-will-be-free/ ]


[ samidoun.net/2025/07/georges-abdallah-returns-to-lebanon-free-and-resisting/ ]


[In Gazadiario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/ejemplos-de-democracia-y-de-valores-y-eso/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/marchan-en-israel-contra-la-hambruna-en-gaza/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/la-traicion-de-europa-a-gaza/ ]


[ thecradle.co/articles/israel-planning-major-offensive-against-yemen-report ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/que-esta-pasando-en-siriay-en-el-asia-occidental/ ]


[On Libya and Syria :  diario-octubre.com/2015/11/06/15-razones-por-las-que-la-otan-acabo-con-gadafi-y-otras-15-por-las-que-quiere-acabar-con-al-assad/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/26/lo-que-dijo-uno-de-los-47-adolescentes-judios-expulsados-de-un-avion-en-espana/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/entre-febrero-y-mayo-de-este-ano-el-gobierno-espanol-fue-el-mayor-importador-de-armas-y-municiones-israelies/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/camaguey-se-transforma-por-el-moncada-y-por-fidel/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/destaca-presidente-de-cuba-el-legado-de-fidel-castro/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/26/cuba-rememora-el-moncada-de-los-jovenes/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/26/fidel-el-che-y-el-26-de-julio-simbolos-imprescindibles/ ]


[In Colombiadiario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/implacables-con-los-que-osan-luchar/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/ebrahim-traore-el-nuevo-pacto-africano/ ]


[On Europe buying F-35s; machine translated – "After the flying carpets and UFOs come the whims of the riffraff" – diario-octubre.com/2025/07/18/despues-de-las-alfombras-voladoras-y-los-ovnis-llegan-los-caprichos-de-los-chusqueros/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/18/autoritarismo-la-mancha-que-persigue-a-zelenski-y-a-sus-colaboradores-incluso-en-la-prensa-mainstream/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/como-obama-orquesto-el-russiagate/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/25/los-nombres-y-apellidos-del-libro-negro-de-epstein-1/ ]


[ diario-octubre.com/2025/07/26/los-nombres-y-apellidos-del-libro-negro-de-epstein-2/ ]


Not Even Wrong – "The Situation at Columbia XXX" – www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/?p=15113


And:  www.math.columbia.edu/~woit/wordpress/?p=15085


Larry Summers on the Columbia agreement:  x.com/LHSummers/status/1948336830937501817


[US professors who target students:  www.dropsitenews.com/p/documenting-jew-hatred-campus-professors-student-deportations-betar-canary-mission ]


At 3,610 signatures:  www.change.org/p/call-on-pope-leo-xiv-to-stop-the-destruction-and-starvation-of-gaza


I hope to post more soon.




1.  Originally posted at:  adc.org/stophate/


ADC: STOP HATE Act is a Dangerous Attack on Free Speech and The Right to Dissent


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2025
media[at adc org]

Washington, D.C. | The American‑Arab Anti‑Discrimination Committee (ADC) is deeply alarmed by the continuous efforts by lawmakers to silence, censor, and chill freedom of speech and expression in this country at the behest of Israel. What we’re seeing is a total disgrace—another outrageous attempt by corrupt Washington insiders to hand over your First Amendment rights to Israel.  The introduction of the Stopping Terrorists Online Presence and Holding Accountable Tech Entities (STOP HATE) Act, unveiled yesterday by AIPAC funded Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D) [of New Jersey:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Gottheimer ] and Don Bacon (R) [of Nebraska:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Bacon – interviewed on the BBC in July on waging economic warfare against countries that buy Russian fossil fuels?at a Capitol Hill press conference alongside the Anti‑Defamation League (ADL) [see:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Defamation_League ], is the latest example of bipartisan disregard of the First Amendment. 

There is no mincing of words – these law makers are putting Israel First. 

Framed as a measure to curb extremist content, the bill instead deputizes and hands over “speech enforcement authority” to zionists entities, giving them unfettered powers to police private social media companies, attack lawful expression, and levy fines of up to five million dollars each day if companies fail to silence and censor users. 

ADC warned about this playbook recently. In California, SB 771 promised to combat “hate” but instead created crushing liability for any platform whose algorithms happened to transmit speech that private actors, such as the ADL, deemed objectionable. The STOP HATE Act scales that same model of SB771 to the federal level.

An analysis and review of the bill shows that, faced with that risk, companies will preemptively start deleting users who express views and opinions that could possibly open them up to fines. These bills are explicitly written to target speech that is critical of Israel. Coupled with efforts around the forced adaptation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-semitism, we are seeing an unprecedented attack on our First Amendment rights. 

“The First Amendment is supposed to be the cornerstone of American democracy—our shield against censorship and government overreach. No foreign nation, including Israel, should have the power to dictate what Americans can or cannot say. Our rights are not negotiable. When members of Congress and state lawmakers start compromising our freedoms to satisfy the demands of a foreign government, we lose what makes this country free. We must reject any legislation that threatens our speech, our conscience, and our right to dissent,” said Abed Ayoub, ADC National Executive Director. 

After passage of the Patriot Act post 9/11, banks shuttered thousands of Arab- and Muslim‑American accounts not because their owners had been proven to support terrorism, but because the institutions feared crippling fines. The STOP HATE Act would reproduce the post 9/11 chilling effect in the digital sphere, forcing platforms to silence voices, especially dissenting critics of Israel, simply to avoid litigation and penalties.

ADC categorically rejects any attempt to equate constitutionally protected speech with extremism and antisemitism. By coercing companies to remove or suppress lawful content, the STOP HATE Act violates core constitutional protections, undermines Section 230’s safe‑harbor framework, and invites discriminatory enforcement against marginalized communities.

ADC calls on every member of Congress to stand on the side of the Constitution and oppose the STOP HATE Act. 






2.  Originally posted at:  adc.org/icsz-and-adc-file-federal-civil-rights-complaints/


ICSZ and ADC File Federal Civil Rights Complaints Against The New School For Illegal Discrimination Against Jewish Antizionist Students, Faculty, and Staff


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2025
info@criticalzionismstudies.org
media[at adc org]

Washington, D.C. | Today, The Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism (ICSZ) and the American‑Arab Anti‑Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed two Title VI complaints with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights charging The New School (TNS) of systematic discrimination against Jewish antizionist students, faculty, and staff.

The filings document how TNS administrators attacked student life, punished ethnoreligious practice, and denied Jewish antizionists access to university resources while suppressing protests against the genocide in Gaza and demands for divestment from weapons manufacturers. University officials imposed their own definition of Jewish identity—one that requires allegiance to Zionism and the State of Israel—then used that definition to exclude and penalize members of the campus community who rejected it.

TNS collaborated with Hillel International, a $73 million Zionist advocacy organization whose New York City chapter reported $1.7 million in revenue last year, alone [see:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillel_International ; there is an NC Hillel building at or adjacent to UNC-Chapel Hill, with a branch at NCSU but I don't know what they do or what larger organizations it is connected to, if any; "We strongly encourage all Jewish students to NOT engage or attend pro-Hamas rallies - even from a distance."  www.nchillel.org/faq ]. At Hillel’s urging, TNS sanctioned Jewish antizionists who protested an on‑campus event featuring an active‑duty Israeli soldier. Administrators later solicited Hillel members to “remember” nonexistent aggressions by Jewish antizionist staff, which an independent investigation later found to be baseless. 

The university also targeted joint Palestinian, Jewish, and BIPOC gatherings protesting the genocide in Gaza – often spaces of shared Jewish and Muslim prayer – thereby violating participants’ religious freedom. TNS stripped resources from the only student‑run Jewish organization because its members were antizionists and terminated a rabbinical chaplain who defended those students, falsely claiming the decision was budget‑related.

Through abusive disciplinary hearings led by a former prosecutor, TNS docked pay and retaliated against employees who reported discrimination. An outside investigator confirmed that the charges lacked merit and that TNS’s civil‑rights office had itself retaliated– punishments the university has yet to reverse. The complaints also detail a broader pattern of discrimination against BIPOC, transgender, and queer community members, using opposition to Zionism and genocide as a pretext.

ICSZ and ADC seek from The New School:

  1. Immediate reversal of all retaliatory sanctions, with full restoration of pay, positions, and resources to affected students, faculty, and staff.
  2. Public acknowledgment and apology for antisemitic, anti‑Palestinian, anti‑Black, anti‑Muslim, transphobic, and queerphobic discrimination.
  3. Full divestment of university endowment funds from weapons manufacturers and any enterprise profiting from genocide, apartheid, or occupation.

As Jews, Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, and allies, we refuse to allow our identities to be weaponized to silence opposition to genocide. It’s time to hold The New School accountable for egregious, illegal, and well-documented acts of discrimination.

###

About ICSZ

Grounded in grassroots spaces and committed to working with activists, organizers, and scholars across fields including Jewish studies, the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism (ICSZ) is a response to the urgent need to declare space, distribute resources, and galvanize the necessary dialogue and research that will become the knowledge projects of Critical Zionism Studies. The Institute challenges the frequent assumptions that the study of Zionism must necessarily be pro-Zionist, overseen by Zionist faculty, and/or only undertaken in the context of Jewish Studies or Israel Studies.

About ADC

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is the largest Arab American grassroots organization in the U.S., founded in 1980 by former Senator James Abourezk.  ADC’s mission is to defend and promote the human rights, civil rights, and liberties of at least 3.7 million Arab Americans residing in the United States. Through its work, ADC fights discrimination in the U.S., enhances public understanding of Arab history and culture, and partners with marginalized communities globally to advance social justice.






3.  Originally posted at:  adc.org/stopthestarvation/


ADC Calls for Immediate Closure and Independent Investigation of Gaza Humanitarian Foundation; Return to UN Oversight of All Aid 


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 21, 2025
media[at adc org] 

Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is calling for immediate action to halt the historic humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. What was presented as an “aid effort”– the U.S.-backed, Israeli-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation — has become a site of unimaginable violence, not relief. Just this weekend, at least 92 people were shot dead while trying to retrieve food. In just two months, more Palestinians have died at these “aid sides” than Israelis killed in the events of October 7th. Each day, without a permanent ceasefire, hundreds more face a similar end. 

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (a U.S.-backed shell operation disguised as a humanitarian aid distributor) has been utilizing food to lure starving Palestinians to narrow aid corridors where they open fire, murdering hundreds of Palestinians. This is not a humanitarian mission. This militarized project (designed according to military planning and not humanitarian relief) controls, coerces, and disappears Palestinians. More than 900 Palestinians have been murdered at the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation distribution site by U.S. security forces and Israeli Occupation Forces. Israeli professor at Ben Gurion University, Yakov Garb, maintains these compounds are surrounded by buffer zones and controlled by American and Israeli personnel, deliberately structured to funnel desperate Palestinians into kill zones. This system is designed for forced displacement, not relief. GHF is designed to eliminate Palestinians under the guise of humanitarian relief. 

Families in Gaza are starving. Parents are being shot trying to reach food for their children. What was supposed to be a humanitarian effort has turned into a death trap. Shut down the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation and let food reach the people. 

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is calling for US elected officials to enforce:

  • The immediate shutdown of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation
  • An end to all U.S. support for this operation, including logistics and intelligence
  • Restoration of food aid coordination to the United Nations and impartial humanitarian groups
  • Congressional hearings into U.S. complicity in these deadly violations of humanitarian law

Starving Palestinians don’t need militarized checkpoints. They need food. They need safety. They need dignity. It’s time to stop supporting failed, deadly models and return to real humanitarian protocol.






4.  Originally posted at:  adc.org/adc-statement-on-nea-boards-refusal-to-ratify-union-vote-to-divest-from-adl/


ADC Statement on NEA Board’s Refusal to Ratify Union Vote to Divest from ADL


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2025
media[at adc org]

Washington, D.C. | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is appalled by the NEA Board of Directors’ refusal to ratify the historic vote by thousands of union members calling for divestment from the ADL. Once again, the will of the people has been rejected by those in power. Despite this setback, the union’s historic decision remains irreversible, and the fight for justice continues.

“While the NEA Board’s decision is disappointing, it does not diminish the union’s victory. This powerful vote raised the consciousness of thousands of educators who have been horrified by the intimidation and suppression they face when discussing Palestine, and who reject longstanding narratives pushed by the ADL that have proven to be distorted and harmful,” said Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director of ADC. “We applaud the NEA’s members for their commitment to critical inquiry and their refusal to legitimize materials that endanger students and undermine movements for justice. Despite the ADL’s influence within corridors of power, history can no longer be controlled or rewritten by oppressors. The genocide in Gaza is being documented and exposed through social media, directly challenging traditional narratives in unprecedented ways. The truth will not be suppressed.”

For decades, the ADL has actively undermined racial justice efforts in the United States. It has pushed an anti-Palestinian, anti-Black, and anti-Indigenous agendas, weaponizing claims of antisemitism to silence legitimate criticism of Israeli apartheid and targeting allies of the Pro-Palestine movement. The ADL routinely engages in smear campaigns that threaten and endanger community educators, especially those from marginalized communities, revealing an insidious prejudice baked into the fabric of the organization. Through political intimidation and disinformation campaigns, the organization has cultivated fear around any dissent against its pro-Israel agenda.

ADC encourages all unions, school districts, and educational institutions to follow NEA members’ lead and reconsider their relationship with the ADL and all materials they produce. An educator’s responsibility is to teach in a factual, unbiased, and research-based manner—not to promote distorted narratives that compromise students’ ability to think critically and independently.


Sunday, May 04, 2025

ADC on House Resolution 867 vote Monday + lawsuits against UT-Austin and the University of Michigan for retaliation over student and worker speech + Joseph Czuba sentenced + repression in France

April 29th it was announced that the French government wants to "dissolve" Urgence Palestine May 7th; there is a rapidly growing petition in opposition at:  agir.urgence-palestine.org/appelsoutiens/12/ ; it doesn't say that it is limited to French citizens; for more information on this and other domestic anti-Palestinian actions by the French government see:  samidoun.net/2025/04/stop-the-dissolution-of-urgence-palestine-take-action-now-to-confront-frances-complicity-in-genocide/  The anti-fascist group Jeunes Gardes also faces dissolution.


From the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network April 30th (linked above):


"Stop the dissolution of Urgence Palestine!

End the genocide in Gaza and throughout Palestine!

Stop the aggression against Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and the people of the region!

Haiti won, Algeria won, Vietnam won, and Palestine will win!

Victory to the Resistance!

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!

We urge all in France and around the world to stand with Urgence Palestine.

  • Sign on to the Urgence Palestine collective statement against dissolutions: https://tiny.cc/stopdissolution
  • Demonstrate at a French embassy, consulate, or Alliance Française (official government representative of French cultural activities) in your area against the dissolution and repression — and against France’s ongoing complicity with Zionist genocide throughout occupied Palestine. Use the signs below!"






It is as if the ADC email about House Resolution 867 just vanished from my inbox.  


Contact your members of Congress throughsupport.adc.org/a/hr867 


Stop Congress from Selling Out and Criminalizing Your Individual Freedoms—Oppose H.R. 867


Washington is ready to undermine your First Amendment rights to placate Israel and its leaders. Stand firm against any attempt to strip away our individual freedoms, and to silence Americans. Complete the quick action below and tell your elected officials to oppose HR 867

H.R. 867 Criminalizes Boycotts

Seeks up to 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines for those participating in boycotts against Israel — even if it's just sharing information online.

Creates a “Blacklist”

Requires an annual roll call of nations and organizations critical of Israel, driving fear into anyone brave enough to speak out.

Grants Washington More Power

Hands Washington bureaucrats with questionable loyalties the authority to further punish students, activists, and nonprofits for free speech—an assault on our individual freedoms and American sovereignty.

Why This Matters—Right Now

H.R. 867 is an insult to everything we believe in. It trades away your right to speak up for what's right—merely to curry favor with foreign leaders. If this bill becomes law, you could be treated like a criminal for exercising the very individual freedoms afforded to you in this country. 

Don't let Congress and foreign interests decide what you can say or do. Defend your freedoms today.







Sent out the evening of May 2nd: 

 

ADC Statement: Killer of Wadee Al-Fayoumi Sentenced to 53 years



[Re-posting:


Washington, D.C. | www.adc.org | May 2, 2025 - Earlier this afternoon Joseph Czuba was sentenced to a 53 year prison [sentence] after being found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of  6 year old Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen. While the sentence will not bring back Wadee, it does bring justice to Hanan, the extended family of Wadee, and the entire community.


ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “Today we remember Wadee, and recommit ourselves to honoring his life and legacy. This sentencing brings closure to the case, and a measure of accountability and justice to a tragedy that has shaken our community. We must come together to ensure that tragedies fueled by anti-Arab, anti-Palestinian hate, and Islamophobia are never accepted as the norm in our society. We thank all those involved who worked to bring justice for Wadee. We also thank Hanan for leading and displaying incredible strength, courage, and grace since the tragic incident occurred.”


ADC calls on community members, public officials, and all people of conscience to stand with us in condemning the alarming surge of hatred that resulted in the untimely death of Wadee Al-Fayoumi, and all attempts to erase, censure and dehumanize Arabs and Palestinians here in the U.S. and abroad.  ADC will continue to fight for justice, accountability, and policy changes that protect our community from all threats.


ADC would like to thank the offices and leadership of CAIR Chicago, the Muslim Civic Coalition in IL, Attorneys Johnny Simon, Lana Nasar, and Attorneys Ben Crump and Nabeha Shaer from the Ben Crump Law Office, for their work on behalf of Hanan. ADC also thanks the entire Arab, Palestinian, and Muslim population of Chicagoland for their leadership.  


Our work is far from done, and ADC stands ready to continue this fight until all of us—regardless of religion, race, or national origin—can live free from fear. If you need our assistance, please call the ADC Legal Hotline at 844-ADC-9955 for immediate support and assistance.] 






Originally posted atadc.org/umichigan/


On International Workers’s Day, Former University Employees Sue The University of Michigan For Wrongful Termination & Blacklisting Because They Expressed


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice
May 1, 2025
Contact: Liz Jacob, ljacob[
at sugarlaw org], (313)-993-4505 | John Philo, jphilo[at sugarlaw org] | Valentina Pereda (ADC) vpereda[at adc org] 

ON INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’S DAY, FORMER UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES SUE THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FOR WRONGFUL TERMINATION AND BLACKLISTING BECAUSE THEY EXPRESSED PRO-PALESTINE SPEECH 

One full-time employee and seven student employees were terminated by the University of Michigan solely for attending pro-Palestine protests on non-work time and outside of their jobs. 

ANN ARBOR – On May Day, The Sugar Law Center and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee filed a federal lawsuit to protect the Constitutional and civil rights of workers whom the University of Michigan terminated and forever barred from future employment because they participated in pro-Palestine protests on the University’s campus. After attending a peaceful on-campus sit-in to call for the University’s divestment from Israel or participating in an impromptu demonstration on public sidewalks to call on Regents to meet with students and support divestment, workers were targeted by the University with adverse employment actions. 

After speaking out in support of Palestinian human rights, eight workers – one full-time employee and seven student workers – were fired from their employment and permanently blacklisted from future employment for the entire University of Michigan system. The lawsuit alleges that the University’s actions violate the student workers’ First Amendment right to Free Speech and their Fourteenth Amendment right to Due Process. Further, the lawsuit states that these adverse employment actions are yet another attempt from the University of Michigan to unconstitutionally punish pro-Palestine protesters at the Ann Arbor campus.  

“On May 3rd, 2024, I joined hands with members of the campus community outside the University of Michigan Art Museum to call on the regents to speak with us about divesting from israel’s genocide on Gaza. After the Regents refused to address the students and community members of the University, University Police pepper sprayed and assaulted us. Then, eleven months later, I and other workers were fired from our university employment and blacklisted as punishment for calling for divestment,” said Eaman Ali, a plaintiff and undergraduate student at University of Michigan. “The University of Michigan Regents are attacking our right to free speech so they can avoid accountability for their complicity in genocide. Despite their attempts to punish workers and paint the pro-Palestine movement as violent, we know that the real violence is the university’s insistence on funding the mass murder of Palestinians.”

“Sadly, the University of Michigan is trying to resurrect an old but previously discarded tactic of firing and blacklisting workers whose viewpoints they don’t agree with. By all accounts, each of our clients was a dedicated employee performing necessary work for the University” said John Philo, Executive and Legal Director of the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice. “University officials and Michigan’s Attorney General have taken many seemingly coordinated actions to undermine the free speech of pro-Palestine protesters on campus. It is critical that we fight back against these attacks on our Freedom of Speech. The University’s shameful and unconstitutional attempts to silence viewpoints by firing student workers and forever barring them from any future employment must be reversed.”  

“There is a nationwide assault on freedom of expression if you support the rights of the Palestinian people. The contempt for the constitutional rights of pro-Palestine advocates should be offensive to anyone who values their right to speak” said Chris Godshall-Bennett, National Legal Director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “The government, whether federal, state, or a public university, cannot punish you because they don’t agree with you, even if you work for them. We will not cede these rights and those who violate them will be held to account.”

“By firing workers as a means to suppress speech it disagrees with, the University of Michigan violates their rights both as citizens and as employees,” said American Federal of Teachers- Michigan President Terrence Martin. “The Michigan labor movement stands with all workers on campus. We will always fight to uphold free speech and conduct that is protected by the First Amendment, and we’re especially alarmed that the University is prepared to violate state labor law by refusing to bargain the termination of a member of our union.”

“The University of Michigan claims to value activism, political engagement, and dissent. But when that free speech addresses the genocide in Palestine, the University is quick to rewrite its rules,” said attorney Ezra Ritchin. “Much like the Trump administration, the University policed, punished, fired, and blacklisted those who bravely spoke out in support of Palestinian life and freedom.”

The Plaintiffs are represented by attorneys John Philo, Liz Jacob, and Tony Paris at the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, Chris Godshall-Bennett at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, and attorney Ezra Ritchin. 

About the Sugar Law Center

The Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice is a national non-profit, public-interest law center. Sugar Law Center provides legal advocacy, representation, education and technical support to workers and communities seeking systemic change toward economic and social justice. For more information on the Sugar Law Center, visit www.sugarlaw.org






Originally posted at:  adc.org/utaustin/


ADC, MLFA, Webber Law, and Project TAHA File Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Against  UT-Austin, TX Governor Greg Abbott, and Other Officials  Over Arrests of Pro-Palestine Students


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
media[
at adc org]

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Austin, TX — Today, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), Texas Governor Greg Abbott, UT Austin President Jay Hartzell, officers of the University of Texas Police Department (“UTPD”), and officers of the Texas Department of Public Safety (“DPS”). Joining ADC as co-counsel are the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Webber Law, and Project TAHA. The Plaintiffs contend that the defendants orchestrated mass arrests, employed physical intimidation, and imposed punitive disciplinary actions on peaceful pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on April 24, 2024.

The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, accuses Governor Abbott and UT Austin officials of intentionally suppressing pro-Palestine speech, in violation of the First Amendment and Title VI. Officers enforced an “arrest quota” and arrested peaceful protesters without probable cause, employing excessive crowd-control tactics that included tackling students, zip-tying them so tightly as to cause bruises and numbness, and forcibly removing a Muslim student’s religious head covering. Even after criminal charges were dropped for lack of probable cause, UT Austin administrators imposed retaliatory disciplinary measures—academic holds, suspensions, and threats of harsher sanctions—to deter future demonstrations.

UT Austin violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating against Palestinian students and those associated with them. The plaintiffs, who include current and former UT Austin students, assert they suffered physical injuries, lived in fear of further punishment, and were directly targeted based on anti-Palestinian bias.

ADC seeks the following relief for the affected students:

  • Declaratory Judgment that officials violated Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights.
  • Reversal of Disciplinary Actions against student protesters.
  • Compensatory and Punitive Damages for physical, emotional, and academic harm.
  • Attorneys’ Fees and Costs under 42 U.S.C. § 1988.

This lawsuit is about more than a single protest; it’s about safeguarding two of the most sacred rights in our democracy—free speech and peaceful assembly,” said ADC National Executive Director, Abed Ayoub. “Standing beside these courageous students means defending the very pillars of our Constitution and preserving the ideals that define us as Americans. Their bravery in the face of intimidation exemplifies the best of who we are, and this monumental case will help ensure that our fundamental liberties remain strong for generations to come.”

“These plaintiffs demonstrated extraordinary courage by speaking out against the genocide in Palestine—a choice that lies at the heart of our American tradition of dissent. State officials responded by brutalizing and arresting them with the explicit goal of suppressing their speech,” said ADC Legal Director, Chris Godshall-Bennett. “What happened at UT Austin is but one example of the attacks on student activists’ rights that paved the way for the escalation we are seeing today. We have not forgotten what was done to these students and the officials responsible must be held to account.”

Christina Jump, Civil Litigation Department Head, Legal Division of MLFA, said, “Texas’ political leaders claim to support the First Amendment, and even passed a state law mirroring the First Amendment–specifically as to college campuses—in 2019.  But they’ve shown they only uphold that freedom where it applies to viewpoints that align with their own. We proudly join the ADC in representing these students who suffered from that biased application of Texas’ own laws, as well as its outright violations of federal statutes. Free speech rights matter, for all groups and viewpoints, equally. Texas forgot that point.” 

Chelsea Glover, Civil Litigation Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Division of MLFA, said, “We are proud to join ADC in representing students whose rights were violated solely because they spoke out to support Palestinians. UT is a public university bound by the First Amendment and Civil Rights Act, and Greg Abbott cannot commandeer a school to enforce his preferred perspective.”

Maria Kari from Project TAHA added, “This case is about justice—plain and simple. Our plaintiffs represent the best of what our democracy promises. Their courage must be celebrated, and their suffering must be addressed. The harm inflicted on them must be acknowledged, and those who orchestrated this assault on their constitutional rights—especially their First and Fourth Amendment protections—must face the consequences. The law is clear: peaceful protest is not a crime. It is a cornerstone of our democracy.”

Key Allegations

    1. Viewpoint Discrimination
      The lawsuit asserts that Governor Abbott and UT Austin officials intentionally suppressed pro-Palestine speech. Plaintiffs claim that officers operated under an “arrest quota,” as revealed by internal communications and overheard statements.
    2. First Amendment Violations
      Plaintiffs engaged in peaceful, constitutionally protected assembly on campus. According to the lawsuit, officials ordered mass arrests without probable cause, used overzealous crowd-control methods, and imposed disciplinary measures designed to chill future speech.
  • Title VI Violations

The complaint alleges that the defendants’ actions were also motivated by anti-Palestinian animus in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

  1. Unlawful Arrests
    The complaint describes how multiple officers tackled students, tightened zip ties to the point of causing bruises and nerve injuries, and removed religious head coverings from Muslim women. Plaintiffs stated they posed no threat and complied with law enforcement directives.
  2. Retaliatory Campus Discipline
    UT Austin administrators continued to penalize protesters after Travis County dropped criminal charges for lack of probable cause. The lawsuit describes how officials imposed academic holds, suspended students, and threatened harsher sanctions if they appealed these outcomes.

Plaintiffs

  • A second-year UT Austin student. Officers slammed her to the ground and zip-tied her so tightly that she experienced numbness in her hands.
  • A recent UT Austin graduate. Officers tackled her face-down and pressed a knee on her neck, leaving bruises and nerve compression injuries in her wrists.
  • A recent UT Austin graduate. Multiple officers forcibly grabbed and zip-tied her arms after she warned others to clear the area.
  • A third-year UT Austin student who wears a hijab. Officers removed her hijab during arrest and left her with painful welts from tight zip ties.

Legal Claims

  • Count I: Violation of the First Amendment (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
    Officials targeted students for their pro-Palestine views, silencing their speech and arresting them without legal cause.
  • Count II: First Amendment Retaliation (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
  • Officers arrested protestors because they expressed pro-Palestine views.
  • Count III: Fourth Amendment Unlawful Seizure/False Arrest (42 U.S.C. § 1983)
    Officers arrested protesters without probable cause and restrained them with zip ties that caused physical harm.
  • Count IV: Violation of Title VI (42 U.S.C. § 2000d)
    Officials targeted students for their association with Palestinians.

ADC remains committed to ensuring that every person can exercise their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly—the bedrocks of our democracy. This lawsuit reaffirms our dedication to defending the Constitution from any attempt to stifle dissent. We applaud these students’ courage and call on institutions and communities across the country to protect civil liberties. We urge the public to follow this case closely and to join us in championing the principles that strengthen our democracy.






Sent out in afternoon May 1st; slightly edited:

 

Breaking: We are suing Gov. Abbott of Texas for targeting of our students


May 1, 2025

 

Dear [ ], 

 

I am writing to let you know that ADC just filed another case in federal court, this one is against Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Police officers who violently targeted and attacked our students at the University of Texas-Austin. This is the third lawsuit filed by ADC within the past few weeks as  part of our continued commitment to protect our community. As an organization that is funded by community and for community, this work is only possible because of support from members like you.

 

The actions taken by Governor Abbot and the defendants pose serious threats and concerns to the rights of all Americans. Make no mistake – Governor Abbott and others value the interests of Israel over the protected constitutional rights of all Americans. We will not sit by idly during this unprecedented attack on our First Amendment rights in this country.

 

One year ago this week, officials ordered a violent crackdown of a planned and peaceful sit-in at the University of Texas. – Austin Police Officers enforcing an “arrest quota” designed for splashy media headlines arrested peaceful protesters without probable cause, employing excessive tactics that included tackling students, zip-tying them so tightly as to cause bruises and numbness, and forcibly removing a Muslim student’s hijab.

 

This lawsuit is a culmination of an extensive and joint effort with our co-counselors, the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), Webber Law, and Project TAHA. We are seeking reversal of any and all disciplinary actions against the students, as well as compensatory and punitive damages for the physical, emotional and academic harm inflicted on the students by the defendants.

 

In mid-March of this year ADC filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of an international student targeted by the U.S. State Department for his pro-Palestine speech, and just last week ADC filed a lawsuit on behalf of a Palestinian American who was brutally tazed and beaten by Los Angeles area police simply for being an Arab American.

 

The work is not done. Our legal department is working on additional lawsuits which will be filed in the coming weeks. None of this can happen without your support. I am asking that you consider making a contribution to these efforts today and help us continue working on your behalf. 

In solidarity,

 

Abed A. Ayoub

National Executive Director

 

More from Reuters:  Students sue Texas university, governor over Gaza protest arrests