US calls for passage of law on zones near houses of worship — Jerusalem Post
In the United States, lawmakers, religious leaders and civic activists held a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, calling for the swift passage of the bipartisan Right to Worship Act, the Jerusalem Post reports.
100-foot perimeter
The bill provides for the establishment at the federal level of a 100-foot perimeter around religious institutions during worship services. Within this zone, it is proposed to prohibit knowingly disrupting or obstructing people seeking to practice their faith, as well as threatening or intimidating them.
In the House of Representatives, the initiative is sponsored by Tom Suozzi and Brad Knott. A companion bill in the Senate was introduced by Senators Ted Cruz and Elissa Slotkin. The document also provides for civil penalties for violations. Lawsuits against violators could be filed by individuals, the U.S. attorney general and state attorneys general.
At the same time, the bill explicitly does not apply to the peaceful expression of views protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
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Support from organizations
According to Suozzi, attending a synagogue, church, mosque, temple, mandir or gurdwara should not require people to show special courage. He said he supports the right to peaceful protest, but participants in religious services should not face harassment, threats or intimidation because of practicing their faith.
Knott said the initiative is intended to protect peaceful expression of views while strengthening protections for people against intimidation. The bill was supported by more than 20 national religious and civil rights organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, the Islamic Society of North America and the Hindu American Foundation.
Aliza D. Lewin, U.S. president of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, said that after October 7, 2023, Jews faced violent threats and intimidation near synagogues. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt emphasized that the law should enable law enforcement and communities to prevent disruptions of worship services before they escalate.
