Key facts
- A US judge dismissed a lawsuit against pro-Palestinian organizations and protesters.
- The lawsuit was filed by the Trump administration under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).
- US District Judge Katharine Hayden in New Jersey said the government's complaint did not adequately plead violations of the statute.
- The judge dismissed the claims without prejudice, allowing the government 30 days to file an amended complaint.
- The lawsuit concerned a protest against an event at a New Jersey synagogue in November 2024.
- The Justice Department accused demonstrators of physically assaulting worshippers and disrupting the event.
A US judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against pro-Palestinian organizations and protesters, which had sought to use a law traditionally applied to restrict access to abortion clinics. US District Judge Katharine Hayden in New Jersey ruled that the government's complaint did not sufficiently demonstrate violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).
The lawsuit, initiated in September 2025, targeted activists accused of intimidating attendees during a protest in November 2024 against an event at a New Jersey synagogue. Organizers had described the event as a spiritual service and real estate fair promoting the sale of property in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.