By Karen Sloan

(Reuters) -A University of Kentucky law professor sued the university on Thursday, claiming it violated his free speech and due process rights this summer when it removed him from teaching, banned him from campus, and launched an investigation into his criticisms of Israel at academic conferences and in online forums.

Ramsi Woodcock said in the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, that the probe was baseless and was spurred by political pressure from state lawmakers to crack down on antisemitism on college campuses.

The complaint said the inquiry has chilled speech at the Lexington, Kentucky university, and asked the court to rule that a recently-adopted Kentucky state law aimed at combating campus antisemitism violates the U.S. Constitution.

“Faculty are afraid to protest Professor Woodcock’s suspension, students are afraid to speak about Palestine, and some are considering separating from the university as a result,” the lawsuit said.

University spokesperson Jay Blanton said Friday that Woodcock has not been suspended but has been "reassigned" during the investigation, which began in July. The right of faculty members to free expression “doesn’t extend to creating a hostile environment for people,” Blanton said.

Woodcock, who is of Arab descent, also alleged racial discrimination in the lawsuit. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

He is at least the third U.S. law professor since January to be barred from teaching or fired in response to politically charged speech on issues such as Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza and the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Debates over campus free speech have intensified during President Donald Trump's second term, with his administration cracking down on protests in what it has positioned as an effort to combat antisemitism.

Woodcock said in his complaint that he began speaking publicly against “Israeli colonialism” in early 2024, including by circulating a “Petition for Military Action Against Israel” online and sharing his views on law faculty listservs. He said he never spoke about his views on Israel in the classroom.

The university informed that he was under investigation in July, after state lawmakers passed the campus antisemitism law in April, the lawsuit said.

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(Reporting by Karen Sloan)