Qaddumi v. Hartzell

In June 13, 2025, Ammer Qaddumi, a University of Texas at Austin student who was suspended following his participation in pro-Palestinian protests in April 2024, filed a federal lawsuit in the Western District of Texas against the University of Texas at Austin, its interim president, and other officials, alleging violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments arising from the university’s response to campus protest activity and resulting disciplinary actions. The complaint alleges that university officials engaged in viewpoint discrimination and retaliation against protected speech in connection with protest activity organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee.

In April 2024, the Palestine Solidarity Committee organized sit-ins, marches, and an encampment urging divestment from companies linked to Israel. On April 23, 2024, university officials ordered the planned protest cancelled, citing concerns about anticipated disruption based on organizers’ messaging, social media posts referencing “occupation” tactics used at other campuses, and Instagram posts using near-identical imagery to pro-Palestinian groups at universities where encampments had occurred. University officials later stated they had directed the PSC to cancel the protest due to these disruption concerns and maintained that Qaddumi’s conduct—not his views—formed the basis for discipline, pointing to his role in proceeding with the protest despite the directive and a “pattern of noncompliance” in his student conduct record. They also referenced the Tinker standard permitting restriction of student speech where substantial disruption is anticipated, and stated that Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order on antisemitism had no role in the decision.

Despite the cancellation directive, demonstrations proceeded on April 24 and April 29, 2024, when university police and state troopers dispersed protesters, arresting more than 130 students and using crowd-control measures including pepper spray and flash bangs. Among those arrested was Qaddumi, who had attempted to mediate between protesters and law enforcement. While many charges were later dropped, the university initiated disciplinary proceedings against multiple students, including probation and suspension.

Following internal proceedings, a disciplinary panel initially recommended a deferred suspension for Qaddumi, but the administration appealed. In October 2024, he was suspended through August 15, 2025, barring him from campus and academic credit. His lawsuit sought damages and injunctive relief, but the suspension remained in effect during litigation.

On April 14, 2026, the court denied the university’s motion for summary judgment, finding genuine disputes of material fact on viewpoint discrimination and retaliation claims and rejecting arguments that the conduct was permissible time, place, and manner regulation or that the case was moot given the ongoing disciplinary consequences.