Lesbian model-turned DEI manager is fired by university for posing in front of Israeli flag emblazoned with swastikas - and is now suing over claims her free speech rights were violated

A model-turned DEI manager who was fired due to the fact that she posed successful beforehand of an Israeli emblem emblazoned with swastikas is present suing due to the fact that her First Amendment rights were 'violated'.

Mashal Sherzad, 29, was fired from her presumption arsenic the diversity, equity and inclusion manager astatine the University of Minnesota due to the fact that of present seemingly deleted pictures that she accidentally uploaded onto her nationalist societal media of her posing successful beforehand of the arguable flag. 

Sherzad, who identified arsenic Muslim, and who is successful a narration with a woman, began her relation successful October, 2023, and travelled to Barcelona to be a pro-Palestinian rally conscionable 2 months later. She shared pictures of herself from the rally - including snaps of her posing successful beforehand of the swastika-embezzled Israeli flag. 

She was removed from her DEI manager occupation for the university's School of Public Health connected January 16 aft the Dean, Melinda Pettigrew, said her employment would make a 'real hazard of important disruption.'

Sherzad has since filed a suit against the schoolhouse for violating First Amendment close to escaped code - on with claims of discrimination.

'I did thing wrong. They discarded a arrogant Queer, Muslim, Afghan and SWANA woman,' she has claimed. 

She has asked to person her occupation reinstated and is requesting implicit $75,000 successful damages.  

The 29-year-old exemplary uses Instagram to stock pro-Palestinian contented to her 4,000 followers. Her biography conception suggests she has worked for famed modeling bureau Ford - and Sherzad has shared scores of photos of her striking bully looks.

She appears to person modeled herself connected Kim Kardashian, with 1 drawback showing a collage of her look adjacent to that of the world star, who has agelong denied rumors that her looks are the effect of extended cosmetic surgeries.  

Sherzad has posted videos of herself chanting astatine rallies successful enactment of Palestine, pictures comparing Nazi occupied Poland to Israeli occupied Palestine and plentifulness of pro-Palestine infographics and protestation pics.

She besides uses shares an array of glamorous selfies, bikini pics, couples-content with her woman Ralena Young, a restaurateur and glamorous photos from her endless travels. 

The activistic showed up to a quality league connected Friday successful a precise choky bodycon formal with risqué cut-outs to marque her lawsuit and beg for her occupation backmost - explaining that the vandalized emblem she posed successful beforehand of was 'somebody else's intelligence property'.

At the property conference, Sherzad fought backmost tears arsenic she explained however the firing has affected her.

'I'm really, truly frightened for myself for galore reasons,' Sherzad told reporters wrong the Coffman Memorial Union. 'What happened to maine was wrong, legally, factually, emotionally. It was horrifying for me, my family, and my loved ones.'

Sherzad's suit against the assemblage said she 'posted the photographs connected her backstage Instagram account, but unbeknownst to her, they were automatically re-posted connected her Facebook account.' 

'The caption connected said station was, 'This is not a conflict. This is not a war. This is genocide',' Sherzad explained. 

A assemblage spokesman, Jake Ricker, says the schoolhouse doesn't typically remark connected progressive lawsuits, according to Star Tribune. 

However, successful a January letter School of Public Health Dean Melinda Pettigrew told Sherzad she respects employees' rights 'to remark connected matters of nationalist concern' but 'your behaviour straight undermines your credibility successful this role.'

'I find that continuing your employment would make a existent hazard of important disruption to School and University activities,' Pettigrew wrote. 

'This is peculiarly existent fixed the existent clime astir the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, wrong the University assemblage and astir the globe, and the highly inflammatory quality of the representation you posted.' 

During Friday's quality conference, supporters of Sherzad claimed that radical who enactment Palestinians and talk retired against unit against them are being unfairly targeted. 

The enforcement manager of Minnesota's Council connected American-Islamic Relations, Jaylani Hussein, has said: 'The facts of this lawsuit are wholly unbelievable. It is simply a acheronian time for state of speech.'

Sherzad vehemently denies immoderate wrongdoing connected her portion and created a GoFundMe to inquire for 'financial resources' amidst the ineligible conflict pursuing her 'wrongful firing,' according to the page. 

'My sanction is Mashal. I was pictured astatine this pro Palestinian demonstration, a peaceful protest, wherever galore from each backgrounds and walks of beingness came unneurotic to explicit solidarity astir the request for bid and liberation of Palestine. This lawsuit occurred successful Barcelona, disconnected enactment time, and connected a weekend. December 9, to beryllium exact,' she wrote connected the GoFundMe, which has garnered $1300 successful donations. 

'I was pictured successful beforehand of a Jewish antheral we had been chatting with who was holding a emblem of Israel, with 2 swastikas drawn connected either broadside of the Star Of David. It was not my property. It was not the mode I would person expressed my feelings of interest and choler towards what has happened to Palestine and its People,' she further explained. 

DailyMail.com has contacted Mashal Sherzad for comment.