The U.S. Justice Department announced on Monday that it filed a civil complaint against those who “engaged in a coordinated effort to intimidate and disrupt Jewish worshippers” on Nov. 13, 2024.
The department filed the suit under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which former President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1994 to protect those seeking abortions and attending religious services and abortion clinics and houses of worship.
The federal complaint alleges that the defendants, including Party for Socialism and Liberation-New Jersey, American Muslims for Palestine-New Jersey, and half a dozen named and unnamed people, “engaged in a coordinated effort to intimidate and disrupt Jewish worshippers at a religious event held at the synagogue Congregation Ohr Torah, in West Orange, N.J.”
“No American should be harassed, targeted or discriminated against for peacefully practicing their religion,” stated Pamela Bondi, the U.S. attorney general. “Today’s lawsuit underscores this Department of Justice’s commitment to defending Jewish Americans, and all Americans of faith, from those who would threaten their right to worship.”
The complaint alleges that the defendants engaged in “physical assaults on worshippers,” as well as “antisemitic and threatening chants and defiance of police orders.”
The defendants allegedly disobeyed officers and entered the synagogue. “The mob disrupted the religious event by blowing vuvuzelas to drown out the memorial service and Torah sermon, making it impossible for worshippers to hear,” per the complaint.
Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, told JNS that the OU applauds Bondi and Harmeet Dhillon, U.S. assistant attorney general for civil rights, “for bringing this suit to protect the Jewish community and all people of faith, who have the constitutional right to worship without fear of harassment.”
“OU Advocacy urged the Biden administration to bring FACE Act lawsuits to no avail,” Diament said. “Hopefully, violent protesters will now be held accountable, and this lawsuit will send a strong message to anyone who targets houses of worship.”
