Overview

• The Justice Department filed a civil complaint on Sept. 29 alleging threats, intimidation and violence against congregants at Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, New Jersey.
• Defendants include the New Jersey chapters of the Party for Socialism and Liberation and American Muslims for Palestine, along with six individuals named in the filing.
• The complaint details vuvuzelas used to drown out a memorial service, antisemitic chants, assaults on attendees and an alleged chokehold during the Nov. 13, 2024 protest.
• The suit seeks a statewide injunction barring FACE Act violations at synagogues across New Jersey, with requests for damages and civil penalties also outlined in court papers.
• DOJ officials said the action is civil and left open potential criminal charges, as local prosecutions tied to the same incident continue and factual accounts remain contested.