A former official with the City of Evanston has filed suit claiming his termination was due to his political stance regarding the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict and the city’s role in calling for a ceasefire.
Former Manager of Organizational Performance and Equity Liam Bird was fired by the city on Dec. 29. He filed suit Jan. 12 alleging it was due to his opinion regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict and accusing top-ranking city officials of setting him up for controversy.
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“Although the City of Evanston does not comment on pending litigation, we fully support First Amendment rights for all, including employees, and will vigorously defend against any claim to the contrary,” the city’s Interim Communications Manager Jessie Mayo said.
The lawsuit alleges that when City Manager Luke Stowe and Interim Corporation Counsel Alex Ruggie informed Bird of his employment termination, they told him the decision came because he is an “at-will employee.”
Bird followed up by asking if his departure was due to the Equity and Empowerment Commission’s recent inquiry into a Israel-Palestine cease-fire resolution proposal. In response, the lawsuit alleges, Stowe denied the relation but Ruggie then offered to give Bird the option to resign and receive six weeks of paid severance pay.
Bird alleges issues began at the Oct. 10 department directors meeting where city managers and directors discussed the conflict in Israel and Palestine. Stowe and Mayor Daniel Biss, the suit allegedly, made multiple comments in support of Israel with Stowe announcing a plan to place Israeli flags around the Civic Center. Bird says in the suit he emailed Stowe after the meeting to express concerns about only supporting one side of a complex issue.
“I think it’s important we both support the people of Israel as well as Palestinian people who are both caught in a war beyond their control,” Bird wrote to Stowe, according to an email quoted in the suit. “As you know, Hamas doesn’t represent Palestine. … I’m sure Evanston has a fairly high number (of Palestinian people), so we should make sure to express solidarity and affirm the great challenges both are experiencing at this time.”
Stowe allegedly forwarded Bird’s email to Biss and Ruggie, according to the lawsuit. Shortly after, on Oct. 27, Bird reposted a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, supporting both “Palestinians (enduring) death” and those in “Israel who were taken hostage,” ultimately calling for a cease-fire. Bird alleges that Stowe saw the post and told Biss and Ruggie about it. Bird was removed from the directors list and City Council meetings on Google Calendar later that day, according to the lawsuit.
The Equity and Empowerment Commission, to which Bird was the staff liaison, started looking into a cease-fire resolution on Nov. 16. Commission Chair Darlene Cannon shared with Pioneer Press that the resolution came at the request of the commission and was drafted by a commissioner with Bird taking a hands-off, messenger-only approach. Despite this, Bird claims he received criticism from the community, including roughly 450 emails, since he was listed on the commission’s website days before the proposed resolution became public.
Evanston’s proposed cease-fire resolution went before the Equity and Empowerment Commission on Nov. 30 and was withdrawn after the commission realized it was outside its purview. Bird alleges the legal department made this decision on Nov. 28 but didn’t inform the commission of this until hours before the meeting began, the lawsuit states.
“Nonetheless defendants encouraged the Nov. 30 meeting to proceed anyway,” the lawsuit states. “Moreover, Biss took steps to spike attendance at the Nov. 30 meeting and associate Bird with the resolution (by speaking with the press).”
Bird was placed on leave three business days later on Dec. 5, and ultimately fired over Zoom on Dec. 29. He joined Evanston’s ranks in June 2023.
Bird is basing his lawsuit on his First Amendment right to free speech, stating his opinion wouldn’t impact his job function addressing racial equity in the workplace. He is suing the city for wages and benefits including but not limited to back pay, compensatory damages for mental anguish and legal expenses. Biss, Stowe and Ruggie are listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
Biss and Bird didn’t respond to Pioneer Press inquiries. Stowe gave no comment beyond Mayo’s statement.
Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.