We Demand the Trump Administration Enforce the F.A.C.E. Act : Stop Recurring Antisemitic Protests Targeting Synagogues

When Going to Synagogue Becomes a Battleground

Across the United States, Jewish synagogues — a sacred space of prayer, a place for community gathering, for Jewish families to feel safe — have become the frontlines of a disturbing new campaign: intimidation masquerading as anti-Zionist protests - “Anti-Zionist = Anti-Semitic”.

Over the past year, increasingly aggressive anti-Israel protests, for example, and their malevolent members have brought their hate to the doorsteps to synagogues. These anti-Israel groups are not holding policy discussions or promoting peaceful discourse. They are inciting mobs to harass local community Jews, block entrances, chanting violent slogans, and in some cases, physically assaulting Jews.

Let’s be clear: This is not free speech. This is not a protected protest, it’s a HATE RALLY disguised as “Justice for Palestine”.

This is coordinated, targeted harassment of a religious minority — and it violates federal law.

Documented Incidents — The FACE Act Violated in Plain Sight

Borough Park, Brooklyn – February 2025

Protestors stormed this Orthodox Jewish neighborhood shouting “Zionists go to hell.”

They blocked synagogue entrances, physically assaulted at least one Jewish man, and forced families to push through hostile mobs just to enter. Rep. Ritchie Torres said: “This is not protest. This is targeted harassment of a religious community.”

In February 2025, a pro-Palestinian rally in Borough Park, Brooklyn escalated into an aggressive and deeply disturbing incident targeting the local Jewish community.

The protest turned hostile as demonstrators blocked entrances, intentionally disrupting the congregants. One elderly Jewish man was punched in the face as he tried to reach the synagogue — an assault caught on video and resulting in an arrest. Families, including children and the elderly, were forced to walk through jeering, aggressive crowds simply to enter. The protest was organized under the banner of "Free Palestine," but its execution crossed far beyond political expression — it became a deliberate act of religious intimidation, raising serious legal and civil rights concerns under the FACE Act

Chicago – 2024–2025

In downtown Chicago’s Loop District, a series of pro-Palestinian protests throughout 2024 and into early 2025 have increasingly targeted local Jewish synagogues, creating a chilling environment for congregants. Demonstrators staged rallies directly in front of synagogue entrances, waving Palestinian flags and chanting hostile slogans — including "intifada revolution" and "from the river to the sea".

Worshippers reported feeling intimidated and unsafe, with many opting to stay home rather than face the confrontational, hostile atmosphere. Some synagogues were forced to cancel or delay services, citing safety concerns and limited access to their buildings. Despite repeated incidents, city officials allowed the protests to continue immediately outside synagogues, raising concerns over the violation of federal protections under the FACE Act — which prohibits intimidation and obstruction of religious access. The pattern in Chicago is clear: these are not peaceful demonstrations — they are coordinated acts of disruption aimed at silencing and intimidating Jewish communities under the guise of protest.

West Hollywood, Los Angeles – June 2024

In June 2024, a scheduled pro-Palestinian demonstration outside Adas Torah Synagogue in West Hollywood devolved into a violent confrontation that shocked the local community and drew national condemnation.

What began as a protest over an unrelated event being held at the synagogue quickly escalated. Protestors gathered directly outside the building, waving Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Israel slogans. As Jewish congregants arrived, the situation turned aggressive — several Jewish women were physically assaulted, shoved, and harassed on synagogue grounds. The violent outbreak was caught on video and widely circulated online, sparking outrage. Even President Joe Biden issued a rare statement, saying:

“Intimidating Jewish congregants is dangerous, unconscionable, antisemitic, and un-American.”

Local attorney Sam Yebri, who was present at the scene, added:

“Today is a dark stain in the history of Los Angeles.”

Despite the clear targeting of a house of worship, no federal charges have been announced — raising questions about why the FACE Act has not yet been enforced in what appears to be a textbook violation.

B’nei Yisrael Legal Demands

We call on the Trump Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice to take immediate action:

• Open federal investigations into FACE Act violations in Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities.

• Prosecute protest organizers and participants who obstructed or threatened Jewish worshippers.

• Issue national guidance to all law enforcement: synagogues are protected under the FACE Act — and enforcement must be consistent, regardless of political ideology.

The F.A.C.E. Act – The Law They’re Ignoring

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) is federal law enacted in 1994 under 18 U.S. Code § 248. While often associated with protecting access to abortion clinics, the law explicitly protects places of religious worship — including synagogues, churches, mosques, temples, and similar institutions.

What the FACE Act Prohibits:

According to the Department of Justice, it is a federal crime to:

• Use or threaten force to intentionally injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person because they are entering or attempting to enter a house of worship.

• Physically obstruct a synagogue, mosque, or church in a way that hinders or prevents people from entering or exiting.

• Intimidate or attempt to intimidate individuals or groups from exercising their right to freely engage in religious practice.

• Conspire with others to do any of the above.

  
  

Violators can face fines, civil lawsuits, and criminal penalties including federal prison time.

Department of Justice (Civil Rights Division): “The FACE Act is a critical tool in protecting Americans' right to worship freely and safely. Any individual or group who threatens or obstructs that right is violating federal law.”

Source: U.S. Department of Justice – FACE Act Enforcement Overview

How the FACE Act Applies to Today’s Antisemitic Protests:

The law is clear — and it applies directly to the ongoing protests outside synagogues across the U.S., where:

• Protestors are blocking entrances and forcing congregants to walk through mobs;

• Jews are being harassed, screamed at, and physically assaulted;

• The intent is clearly to intimidate Jewish Americans from practicing their faith.

These are not theoretical violations — these are real, documented incidents that meet the legal threshold for federal enforcement.

"The FACE Act is a critical tool in protecting the civil rights of all Americans to access religious spaces and healthcare without fear of violence or obstruction."

— DOJ Civil Rights Division

So why is it not being enforced when Jewish synagogues are under siege?

The FACE Act – A Law Built to Protect Worship, Not Politics

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act) is not some obscure legal technicality. It is a clear federal statute designed to protect Americans from exactly the kind of targeted harassment we’re now seeing outside synagogues across the country.

What many don’t realize is that the FACE Act wasn’t just passed to protect healthcare facilities — it explicitly includes houses of worship as protected spaces. It was written to ensure that every American — regardless of religion — can enter a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple without fear of intimidation, violence, or obstruction.

And it was bipartisan from the beginning.

New York’s most powerful senator, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) .

The FACE Act was first introduced in January 1993, sponsored by Representative Chuck Schumer (D–NY) and co-sponsored by Representative Constance Morella (R–MD). A companion bill followed in the Senate in March 1993, led by Senator Edward Kennedy (D–MA). The bill passed with broad bipartisan support: the Senate approved it in a 69–30 vote, with 17 Republicans backing the legislation. The House passed it by voice vote.

In May 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the FACE Act into law, affirming that the freedom of religion is a civil right that deserves federal protection.

So let’s ask the obvious question:

If a law passed with bipartisan support 30 years ago explicitly protects synagogues — why is it being ignored now?

Why are violent mobs being allowed to surround synagogues in Brooklyn, Chicago, and Los Angeles with impunity — while the Department of Justice stays silent?

The law exists. It is on the books. It was created for moments like this. Now it’s time for those in power to use it — fairly, without bias, and without excuses.

Let’s Stop Pretending this is “Peaceful Protest”

We hear the same messages over and over - these are a short list of examples:

• “We love Hamas”

• “Yes, Oct 7 was justified”

• “We stand with Hezbollah”

• “Globalize the Intifada”

• “From the river to the sea”

• “Zionists go to hell”

• “Resistance by any means necessary”

• “Death to Israel”

These are not peaceful slogans. They are calls for violence, ethnic cleansing, and the destruction of the Jewish state. They are calls for the demise, disregard of American Jews who stand with Israel, and this transcends the intention of the 1st Amendment.

The phrase “From the river to the sea” is often translated in Arabic as “min al-ma’ ila al-ma’” — “from the water to the water.” It is not about Palestinian independence — it’s about the erasure of Israel entirely. It’s about making the land exclusively Muslim, and by implication, Jew-free.

Let’s be blunt:

These protests and people are not marching for peace. They are rallying for the end of Israel — and in some cases, chanting for violence against Jews here in America.

Whether the protestors standing beside them realize it or not, they are enabling harrassment and amplifying an ideology of genocidal hate — right in front of our synagogues.

Now IMAGINE if Zionists Did the Same Outside a Mosque…

Let’s flip the script.

• What if Jewish demonstrators surrounded a mosque on a Friday afternoon?

• What if they blocked entrances, screamed about Islamic “occupiers,” and carried signs calling for the downfall of Muslim governments?

• What if they forced Muslim families to walk through a gauntlet of hate to attend Eid prayers?

The media would erupt.The ACLU would sue.The FBI would launch hate crime investigations.There would be DOJ press conferences, public apologies, and mass arrests.

And rightly so.

Because targeting a house of worship is not protest — it is criminal harassment. And the law is already in place to stop it. It’s called the FACE Act. So why isn’t it being enforced when it’s Jews who are the victims?

B’nei Yisrael’s Mission

Under the leadership of Ross Glick, B’nei Yisrael is taking this issue national.

We are:

• Coordinating with attorneys and civil rights experts to file formal FACE Act complaints.

• Mobilizing affected communities to document violations and demand equal protection.

• Using the Urban Warrior media platform to expose the double standard and demand action.

No other faith group in America would be treated this way. We will not accept this treatment — and we will not be silent.

Call to Action

We demand:

• Equal protection.

• Enforcement of existing law.

• An end to the double standard.

Jewish Americans have the same right to worship safely as every other faith in this country.The FACE Act protects synagogues — now it must be enforced.

Silence is complicity. Silence is Dangerous.

Ross Glick | Activist, Policy Advocate, Communications Strategist

B’nei Yisrael | RossGlick.com | @The_UrbanWarrior (IG) @18UrbanWarrior (X)

For media inquiries, documentation of incidents, or to support this campaign, contact us at: rossglick@gmail.com or 917.821.9942