Key facts
- A US judge dismissed a lawsuit against pro-Palestinian organizations and protesters.
- The lawsuit was brought by the Trump administration under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).
- US District Judge Katharine Hayden said the government's complaint did not adequately plead violations of the statute.
- The claims were dismissed 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 protect access to abortion clinics. US District Judge Katharine Hayden in New Jersey stated that the government's complaint did not sufficiently plead violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act).
The judge dismissed the claims without prejudice, giving the government 30 days to file an amended complaint. The lawsuit, initiated in September 2025, targeted pro-Palestinian activists accused of intimidating attendees during a protest in November 2024 against an event at a synagogue in New Jersey. Organizers had billed the event as a spiritual service and real estate fair promoting the sale of property in Israeli settlements.