The Justice Department filed a civil complaint Monday accusing demonstrators of targeting Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, New Jersey, during a November 2024 protest that federal officials say crossed the line into violence and intimidation against worshipers.

According to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Newark, protesters threatened and menaced mispallelim as they gathered to honor the memory of a rabbi. The complaint alleges the group’s actions violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a federal law that protects not only access to medical facilities but also the right to enter houses of worship without obstruction.

If granted, the government’s request for injunctive relief would bar the defendants from interfering with synagogue activity across New Jersey and ensure Ohr Torah congregants can gather without harassment or threats.

The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, makes it unlawful to use force, threats, or physical obstruction to interfere with individuals exercising their right to worship. Federal officials have increasingly applied it to attacks on churches, mosques, and synagogues.

“This Justice Department will vigorously enforce the right of every American to worship in peace and without fear,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in announcing the lawsuit.

Agudath Israel of America welcomed the move, calling it a critical step in addressing the growing wave of antisemitic threats and harassment.

“The allegations described in the Department’s complaint, that congregants were threatened, intimidated, and subjected to violence as they gathered to honor the memory of a beloved rabbi, strike at the heart of religious freedom in America,” the Agudah said in a statement.

Shlomo Schorr, Agudah’s New Jersey Director of Legislative Affairs, noted that intimidation too often precedes violence. “No person of faith should ever feel unsafe or obstructed when entering a house of worship,” he said.

Agudah leaders praised Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Dhillon, and the DOJ Civil Rights Division for making clear that Jewish communities—and all faith groups—have the right to pray and gather without fear.

The West Orange incident marked one of several high-profile confrontations at Jewish events over the past year, as pro-Hamas and anti-Israel demonstrators have increasingly targeted synagogues and Jewish institutions. Local officials in West Orange had previously condemned the chants heard outside Ohr Torah, including “From the river to the sea,” as hate speech.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)