FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 23, 2025
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Simi Valley, CA | The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), alongside HH Law Firm, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Mr. Nabil Shukair, a Palestinian American subjected to ongoing harassment, racism, and a recent violent police encounter in Simi Valley, California. The complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, contends that Mr. Shukair’s constitutional rights were violated when police officers, responding to baseless “terrorist” accusations, arrived at his home with weapons drawn and ultimately tased him unconscious.
The lawsuit details how video evidence reveals a neighbor driving by Mr. Shukair’s residence while shouting racial slurs and threats, followed by an unfounded call to the police identifying Mr. Shukair as a “Hamas terrorist.” According to the complaint, rather than verifying these inflammatory claims, Simi Valley police officers arrived at Mr. Shukair’s property on September 11, 2024, and immediately escalated into violent action. Video footage shows officers drawing their firearms and tasing Mr. Shukair within seconds, knocking him unconscious and dragging him out of his garage.
“I was tased and dragged from my home,” said Mr. Shukair. “This isn’t just about me—it’s about protecting our communities from being treated like suspects instead of people.”
The lawsuit raises critical questions about why specialized law enforcement units were not deployed if officers genuinely suspected terrorist activity, and why a more thorough investigation was not conducted prior to the use of such force. Instead, the complaint asserts, the responding officers relied solely on a racially charged tip—contrary to ordinary standards of investigative diligence.
“This case highlights the discrimination Arab Americans face when unverified, racially motivated accusations are immediately accepted,” said ADC National Legal Director Chris Godshall-Bennett. “Mr. Shukair was confronted by officers with guns drawn in his own home, tased unconscious, and subjected to illegal searches. The officers’ actions were motivated by nothing more than anti-Palestinian racism and they must be held accountable.”
“Our client has endured months of harassment and racist vitriol. The escalation on September 11 was particularly shocking,” said attorney Hani Habbas of HH Law Firm. “Officers arrived at Mr. Shukair’s house, forcefully entered the property, used a taser on him without warning, and dragged him onto the street while he was incapacitated. These actions directly violated his First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights.”
Alleged Constitutional Violations and Key Claims
- Excessive Force & Unlawful Seizure: The complaint states that Simi Valley Police officers violated the Fourth Amendment by tasing and seizing Mr. Shukair without probable cause or any indication of a threat.
- Equal Protection & Discrimination: Officers purportedly targeted Mr. Shukair based on his Palestinian identity and an unverified tip labeling him a terrorist, in breach of the Fourteenth Amendment.
- First Amendment Retaliation: Mr. Shukair’s verbal objections to officers drawing weapons in his garage and his attempt to record the encounter allegedly prompted an escalated response, amounting to retaliation for protected speech.
- Unlawful Searches: The complaint claims that the officers conducted warrantless searches of Mr. Shukair’s home and vehicle after he was rendered unconscious and handcuffed, in further violation of the Fourth Amendment.
In addition, the lawsuit asserts various state law claims, including violations of California’s Bane Act and Ralph Act, as well as common law torts such as assault, battery, false arrest/imprisonment, and the intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Mr. Shukair seeks:
- Compensatory Damages for physical injuries, emotional distress, and pain and suffering.
- Punitive Damages against individual officers whose actions are alleged to have been intentional or carried out with reckless disregard for his constitutional rights.
- Attorneys’ Fees and Costs under federal and state civil rights statutes.
- Judicial Declarations that the officers’ actions violated the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and parallel rights under California law.
The complaint questions the Simi Valley Police Department’s decision-making and training practices, pointing to a pattern of immediate, aggressive action against Mr. Shukair despite the lack of credible corroboration of the neighbor’s accusations. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Shukair was held in custody without proper explanation or medical care. No formal charges were ever brought.
By filing this action, ADC and HH Law Firm aim to hold Simi Valley authorities accountable for what they describe as an egregious violation of constitutional principles, while also ensuring that no one else in the community endures a similar experience rooted in racial animus or inadequate investigative protocols.