Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 3: A US federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump's administration against pro-Palestinian organisations and protesters under a law traditionally used in cases involving obstruction at abortion clinics.
US District Judge Katharine Hayden in New Jersey ruled that the government's complaint did not adequately plead violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act. She dismissed the case without prejudice, allowing the government to file an amended complaint within 30 days.
The case was filed under the FACE Act, a 1994 law that prohibits the use of force, threats of force and physical obstruction to interfere with people exercising their rights at reproductive health centres or places of religious worship.
The Justice Department filed the lawsuit in September 2025 against pro-Palestinian activists over a November 2024 protest at Congregation Ohr Torah, a synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey.
According to the government's complaint, the protest targeted an event that included a spiritual service and a real estate fair promoting the sale of property in Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The government alleged that the protest became violent, with some demonstrators physically assaulting worshippers and using chants and vuvuzelas to disrupt the event. These allegations were not established by the court as facts.
The Justice Department said the FACE Act applied because the protest allegedly interfered with people exercising their right to religious worship. The case was notable because the law had traditionally been used in cases involving access to abortion clinics. Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon said the department's restrictions on the use of the FACE Act in abortion-related cases did not apply to cases involving houses of worship.
In her ruling, Hayden said the FACE Act does not impose liability simply for disruptive, offensive or hostile advocacy. The court found deficiencies in the government's allegations against the organisations and individual defendants and dismissed the sole claim under the statute.
The judge's order allows the government to amend its complaint. The court also sought clarification about the nature and scheduling of the synagogue event, including whether the religious service and other activities had been planned before or after the real estate fair was added.
The Trump administration has separately taken several measures targeting pro-Palestinian activism, including attempts to deport some foreign protesters, scrutiny of universities where protests took place and expanded social media screening of immigrants.
The administration has described some pro-Palestinian protesters as antisemitic or supportive of extremist groups. Demonstrators and advocacy groups have rejected that characterisation, saying criticism of Israeli military actions in Gaza and Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories should not be equated with antisemitism or support for extremism.
The latest ruling does not permanently end the case, as the Justice Department has 30 days to submit an amended complaint.