New York rep introduces nationwide bill to protect houses of worship from protest

Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) announced federal legislation on Friday to create a 100-foot buffer zone around houses of worship to protect them from disruptive protests after a spate of anti-Israel demonstrations aimed at intimidating synagogue-goers.

The Long Island congressman told JNS that the “patchwork” of similar legislation in parts of the country was insufficient and that his bill would establish a nationwide standard for protecting religious institutions.

“You can say things that I disagree with, but if you’re trying to say to people, ‘Hey, you Zionist pig,’ as they’re walking in to go to worship, that’s just an effort to harass people,” Rep. Tom Suozzi told JNS. “Activities specifically done to harass or intimidate people, especially as they’re entering into a religious institution to go worship, are unacceptable.”

Proposals for protest buffers at religious sites have followed anti-Israel and antisemitic demonstrations at synagogues in New York City and other places across the country.

In November, hundreds of demonstrators protested at Park East Synagogue in Manhattan and chanted slogans such as “resistance you make us proud, take another settler out” and “globalize the intifada.”

In December, two demonstrators were arrested for entering Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles as masked protesters outside shouted “baby killers” and “Zionist pigs” at congregants.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani allowed the passage on Friday of a protest buffer bill for houses of worship that had a veto-proof majority in the city council, but blocked a similar bill to protect schools, saying that it would violate the First Amendment.

Suozzi said at a press conference on Friday that his federal bill was designed with the help of Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, to meet constitutional thresholds of free speech.

“We believe that this is a rational, common-sense compromise between our desire to go after this hateful, violent, awful activity and protect our right to free speech and our rights to the freedom to worship,” Suozzi said.

Courts have generally permitted neutral restrictions on the time, place and manner of speech, but not content-based bans.

Formally titled the Safeguarding Access to Congregations and Religious Establishments from Disruption (SACRED) Act, Suozzi’s bill forbids intimidation or obstruction within 100 feet of any place of worship “in a manner that causes any person to reasonably fear for their physical safety” and further bars harassment of individuals.

Those violating the law will be subject to fines and imprisonment of one to three years, and are liable to civil penalties.

Suozzi said the bill’s text mirrors local legislation that has already been upheld in court. The legislation also has similarities to existing federal laws, such as the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994, which bars protesters from interfering with access to reproductive health facilities and houses of worship, and the Respect for American Fallen Heroes Act, which prohibits protests within 300 feet of a national cemetery during funerals.

Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Hadassah and the Orthodox Union, announced their backing for the SACRED act, which also has the support of other religious groups, including the Hindu American Foundation, the Islamic Society of North America and United Sikhs.

“Freedom to worship in America can only be enjoyed together with a freedom from fear,” Nathan Diament, executive director of the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, told JNS. “Sadly, we are in an era when we have seen too many assaults on synagogues, churches and other holy places.”

The SACRED Act also has bipartisan backing from Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who is Jewish, as co-sponsor, and Suozzi announced the bill alongside Mazi Pilip, a Nassau County legislator and Israel Defense Forces veteran who was his former opponent in the 2024 special election.

Suozzi told JNS that having bipartisan support is one way to confront social divisions that he believes are being inflamed by American adversaries, including China, Russia and Iran.

“We can’t fall for it,” Suozzi said. “We have to keep on working to address the problems.”