Settlement Reached In Avon Hotel Racial Profiling Case

Attorneys for an Emirati man say they've settled a lawsuit against an Avon, Ohio, hotel. The suit claimed that because employees of the hotel mistakenly assumed the plaintiff might be a terrorist, a SWAT unit was summoned, and he was handcuffed, searched and humiliated – then suffered health complications as a result.

Jury selection began Tuesday in Ahmed Al-Menhali’s federal litigation against two employees of the Fairfield Inn & Suites, its owners, and Marriott International.

The terms of the settlement reached before the trial began were not disclosed. The suit claimed that Al-Menhali had been subjected to “the worst aspects of American Islamophobia and racism.”

“We are pleased to obtain a significant settlement on behalf of Mr. Al-Menhali. What happened to him was a shameful example of how ignorance and intolerance still remain in this country, in this case, because of how he dressed and the language he spoke,” said attorney Terry Gilbert of Friedman and Gilbert. “Now that a resolution has been reached, Mr. Al-Menhali and his family can find closure and move forward with their lives.”

In June 2016, Al-Menhali was dressed in traditional garments from the United Arab Emirates when he tried to get a room at the Avon Fairfield Inn & Suites. Police received emergency calls from the families of then-clerks Alexis Silva and Laura Acton-Bell expressing fears he could have ties to the Islamic State group, ISIS.

Local police arrived in SWAT-style gear, including assault rifles. Al-Menhali was released after police determined he wasn't a threat.

The incident, much of it captured on police video,  received international media coverage. The UAE then warned its citizens to avoid wearing traditional garments abroad.

After his release, Al-Menhali – who was recovering from heart surgery at the time – collapsed, was hospitalized for several days, and continues to suffer from ongoing trauma from the incident, according to his attorneys.

Lorain County’s prosecutor reviewed the actions of those involved and said a grand jury declined to bring criminal charges.

Avon police were initially sued by Al-Menhali as well, but U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver removed them as defendants last fall, citing the "qualified immunity" standard that limits the liability of public officials for actions committed in the line of duty. Avon's mayor and police chief subsequently apologized to Al-Menhali.