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 for posing in front of an Israeli flag decorated with swastikas is now suing, claiming her First Amendment rights were “violated.”

Mashal Sherzad, 29, was fired as diversity, equity and inclusion manager at the University of Minnesota over apparently deleted photos she accidentally uploaded to her public social media of her posing in front of the controversial flag.

Sherzad, who identified as Muslim and is in a relationship with a woman, began her role in October 2023 and traveled to Barcelona just two months later to attend a pro-Palestinian rally. She shared photos of herself from the rally, including photos of her posing in front of the swastika-obscured Israeli flag.

She was fired from her job as DEI manager for the university’s School of Public Health on Jan. 16 after the dean, Melinda Pettigrew, said her job would pose a “real risk of significant disruption.”

Sherzad has since filed a lawsuit against the school alleging violations of the First Amendment right to free speech, along with claims of discrimination.

‘I didn’t do anything wrong. They have thrown away a proud Queer, Muslim, Afghani and SWANA woman,” she claims.

She has asked to have her job reinstated and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.

The 29-year-old model uses Instagram to share pro-Palestinian content with her 4,000 followers. Her biography section suggests she worked for famed modeling agency Ford – and Sherzad has shared dozens of photos of her striking good looks.

She appears to have modeled herself on Kim Kardashian, with one photo showing a collage of her face next to that of the reality star, who has long denied rumors that her appearance is the result of extensive cosmetic surgery.

Sherzad has posted videos of herself singing at rallies in support of Palestine, photos comparing Nazi-occupied Poland to Israeli-occupied Palestine, and numerous pro-Palestine infographics and protest photos.

She also uses a series of glamorous selfies, bikini photos, couples with her friend Ralena Young, a restaurateur, and glamorous photos from her endless travels.

The activist appeared at a press conference on Friday in a very tight bodycon dress with daring cutouts to make her case and beg for her job back. She explained that the vandalized flag she posed for was “someone else’s intellectual property.”

At the press conference, Sherzad fought back tears as she explained how the dismissal affected her.

“I’m really scared for myself for a lot of reasons,” Sherzad told reporters inside the Coffman Memorial Union. ‘What happened to me was legally, factually and emotionally wrong. It was devastating for me, my family and my loved ones.”

Sherzad’s lawsuit against the university stated that she “posted the photos to her private Instagram account, but unbeknownst to her, they were automatically reposted to her Facebook account.”

“The caption on that post was: ‘This is not a conflict. This is not war. This is genocide,” Sherzad explained.

University spokesman Jake Ricker said the school generally does not comment on pending litigation Star Tribune.

In a January letter, Melinda Pettigrew, dean of the School of Public Health, told Sherzad that she respects employees’ rights “to comment on matters of public interest,” but “your conduct directly undermines your credibility in this role.” ‘

“I believe that your continued employment poses a real risk of significant disruption to school and college operations,” Pettigrew wrote.

“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 image you posted.”

During Friday’s press conference, Sherzad supporters claimed that people who support Palestinians and speak out against violence against them are being unfairly targeted.

The executive director of Minnesota’s Council on American-Islamic Relations, Jaylani Hussein, has said, “The facts of this case are completely unbelievable. It is a dark day for freedom of expression.”

Sherzad vehemently denies any wrongdoing on her part and has set up a GoFundMe to ask for “financial resources” amid the legal battle following her “wrongful dismissal,” the page said.

‘My name is Mashal. I was pictured at this pro-Palestinian demonstration, a peaceful protest, where many from all backgrounds and walks of life came together to express their solidarity around the demand for peace and liberation of Palestine. This event took place in Barcelona, ​​outside working hours and on weekends. December 9th to be exact,” she wrote on the GoFundMe, which has raised $1,300 in donations.

‘I was pictured in front of a Jewish man we were talking to, who was holding a flag of Israel, with two swastikas on either side of the Star of David. It wasn’t my property. It was not the way I would have expressed my feelings of concern and anger about what happened to Palestine and its people,” she further explained.

DailyMail.com has contacted Mashal Sherzad for comment.