A model-turned-DEI director who was fired for posing in front of an Israeli flag adorned with swastikas is now filing a lawsuit because her First Amendment rights were “violated.”
Mashal Sherzad, 29, was fired from her position as head of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Minnesota due to 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 was in a relationship with a woman, began her role in October 2023 and traveled to Barcelona to attend a pro-Palestinian rally two months later. She shared photos of herself at the rally, including shots of herself posing in front of the Israeli flag adorned with a swastika.
She was removed from her role as head of DEI at the university’s School of Public Health on January 16 after the dean, Melinda Pettigrew, said her employment would create a “real risk of significant disruption.”
Sherzad has since filed a lawsuit against the school for violating the First Amendment right to free speech – as well as allegations of discrimination.
‘I did nothing wrong. They rejected a proud queer, Muslim, Afghan, SWANA woman,” she said
Mashal Sherzad, a model turned DEI director who was fired for posing in front of an Israeli flag adorned with swastikas, is now suing because her First Amendment rights were ‘violated’
Mashal Sherzad, 29, was fired from her position as head of diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Minnesota due to apparently deleted photos she accidentally uploaded to her public social media of her posing in front of the controversial Israel flag/swastikas.
Sherzad has since filed a lawsuit against the school for violating the First Amendment right to free speech – as well as allegations of discrimination.
Sherzad is pictured with his girlfriend Ralena Young, who owns a restaurant and bar in Minnesota
‘I did nothing wrong. They rejected a proud queer, Muslim, Afghan, SWANA woman,” she said.
She asked to get her job back 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 the famous Ford modeling agency – and Sherzad has shared numerous photos of her striking beauty.
She appears to have taken inspiration from Kim Kardashian, with a snap showing a collage of her face next to that of the reality TV 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 infographics and pro-Palestinian protest photos.
She also shares a range of glamorous selfies, bikini photos, couple content with girlfriend Ralena Young, a restaurateur, and glamorous photos from her endless travels.
The activist showed up to a press conference on Friday in a very tight, tight dress with risky cutouts to make her point and beg for her job – explaining that the vandalized flag she posed in front of was “someone’s intellectual property another one.”
At the press conference, Sherzad fought back tears as she explained how the firing had affected her.
“I’m really, really scared for myself for a lot of reasons,” Sherzad told reporters at the Coffman Memorial Union. “What happened to me was wrong, legally, factually and emotionally. It was horrible for me, my family and those close to me.
Sherzad’s lawsuit against the university says she “posted the photographs to her private Instagram account, but without her knowledge, they were automatically reposted to her Facebook account.”
She also uses her social media to share a slew of selfies, bikini photos, and glamorous photos from her endless travels.
At Friday’s press conference, Sherzad’s supporters claimed that people who support Palestinians and denounce violence against them are being unfairly targeted.
“The caption of the said post was: “This is not a conflict. It’s not a war. It’s genocide,” Sherzad said.
A university spokesperson, Jake Ricker, said the school generally does not comment on pending lawsuits, according to the Star Tribune.
However, in a January letter, School of Public Health Dean Melinda Pettigrew told Sherzad that she respected employees’ rights “to comment on matters of public concern” but that “your conduct undermines directly your credibility in this role.
“I find that continuing to work would create a real risk of significant disruption to school and university activities,” Pettigrew wrote.
“This is especially true given the current climate around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, within the academic community and around the world, and the highly inflammatory nature of the image you posted.”
At Friday’s press conference, Sherzad’s supporters claimed that people who support Palestinians and denounce violence against them are being unfairly targeted.
Minnesota Council on American-Islamic Relations Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said, “The facts of this case are completely unbelievable. It’s a dark day for free speech.
Sherzad vehemently denies any wrongdoing on his part and created a GoFundMe to ask for “financial resources” amid the legal battle that followed his “wrongful termination,” according to the page.
The activist showed up to a press conference on Friday in a very tight bodycon dress with risky cutouts to advocate for her cause and beg for her job – explaining that the vandalized flag she posed in front of was “someone’s intellectual property else”.
Sherzad has posted videos of herself singing at pro-Palestine rallies, photos comparing Nazi-occupied Poland to Israeli-occupied Palestine, and numerous infographics and pro-Palestinian protest photos.
“My name is Mashal. I was photographed at this pro-Palestinian demonstration, a peaceful demonstration, where many people from all walks of life and backgrounds gathered to express solidarity around the demand for peace and liberation of Palestine. This event occurred in Barcelona, outside of working hours and on a weekend. December 9th, to be exact,” she wrote on GoFundMe, which raised $1,300 in donations.
“I was photographed in front of a Jewish man we spoke with who was holding a flag of Israel, with two swastikas drawn on either side of the Star of David. It wasn’t my property. This is not how I would have expressed my feelings of concern and anger about what happened to Palestine and its people,” she explained.
DailyMail.com has contacted Mashal Sherzad for comment.
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