DALLAS, Texas — A professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, alleging racial discrimination and wrongful arrest following his participation in a 2024 campus protest related to the Gaza conflict.
The lawsuit, filed this week, claims Dr. Ali Asgar H. Alibhai was wrongfully arrested during the protest despite not engaging in any illegal activity.
He further alleges that law enforcement used excessive force during his detainment and that the university imposed restrictive conditions on him post-arrest—conditions he argues were not applied to white faculty members in similar circumstances.
Dr. Alibhai’s arrest occurred during a protest held on the UT-Dallas campus, where participants voiced opposition to the ongoing war in Gaza. It remains unclear how many individuals were arrested during the event.
In a statement, the university acknowledged the protest but said it had not received formal notification regarding the lawsuit. University officials and legal representatives have not issued further public comments.
Details regarding the specific post-arrest conditions imposed on Dr. Alibhai have not been publicly disclosed. His lawsuit seeks redress for alleged violations of his civil rights and draws attention to what he describes as systemic racial bias within higher education.
