UT-Austin Student Sues University Over First Amendment Rights Violations
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A University of Texas at Austin student, Ammer Qaddumi, recently filed a lawsuit against the university, President Jay Hartzell, and Vice President and Provost Sharon Wood, alleging violations of his First Amendment rights. The lawsuit stems from his arrest during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on campus earlier this year.
Qaddumi’s lawsuit, first reported by KXAN, was filed in U.S. federal court and aims to challenge the disciplinary actions taken against him by UT-Austin.
UT-Austin planned to hold a disciplinary hearing against Qaddumi, potentially resulting in a three-semester suspension. However, Qaddumi requested that the judge halt the hearing until the lawsuit is resolved. The court denied this request on Thursday.
The lawsuit details the events that led to Qaddumi’s arrest, highlighting his involvement in a pro-Palestinian protest organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee. The lawsuit argues that the university’s actions, including the attempted cancellation of the event and subsequent disciplinary measures, infringe on students’ First Amendment rights.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, UT-Austin officials have not commented on the lawsuit, stating that their response will be presented in court filings.
The lawsuit comes in the wake of several protests on the UT-Austin campus earlier in the year, leading to the arrests of over 100 individuals. Travis County District Attorney Delia Garza later dropped the criminal trespass charges against all those arrested.
UT-Austin’s handling of the protests has faced criticism from faculty members, with a university committee alleging that administrators violated the institution’s rules in their response to the demonstrations.
The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.
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An earlier version of this story incorrectly named University of Austin Provost Sharon Wood.
