News Release
For Immediate Release: 11.5.25
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
First Liberty Institute Files Lawsuit Against Violent Agitators Who Interfered with Christian and Jewish Worship Services
Disruptors targeted three worship services, intimidating worshipers by shouting vulgar messages, threatening their safety, and blocking entrances and exits.
Carlsbad, CA—Attorneys with First Liberty Institute and Jones Day filed a federal lawsuit after hostile agitators affiliated with Code Pink disrupted and interfered with multiple worship services. The Mission Church and the Christian & Jewish Alliance, an interfaith organization in the San Diego area, have suffered ongoing persecution as they seek to bring churches and synagogues together for worship and prayer. Together, the Church and the Alliance are seeking legal protection for their religious gatherings.
You can read the complaint here.
“When I pulled up to a worship event on September 7, a masked person holding a vulgar sign jumped onto the hood of our car, screaming and banging on the windshield. It was frightening,” said Ruth Mastron, a devout Jewish resident who joined the lawsuit. “We just want to be able to gather safely, pray, and worship together without fearing for our lives.”
“We at The Mission Church simply want to be able to worship and support our local Jewish community without fear or intimidation,” said Pastor JC Cooper. “It’s of the utmost importance that our congregation feels safe in our house of worship.”
“No church or synagogue should experience such vulgar harassment for simply conducting its religious activities,” said Jeremy Dys, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. “Blocking entrances and exits while intimidating worshipers with incessant shouting, vulgarities, and sirens violates the law.”
The Mission Church in Carlsbad, CA, believes that Christians should support Jewish neighbors and the nation of Israel. In March, the Church hosted former Israeli Knesset member Dr. Einat Wilf, with many Jewish guests and church members in attendance. Posing as guests, disruptors infiltrated the sanctuary, yelling epithets until they were escorted out. More protestors lined up inches outside the door, calling church members “Nazis” and yelling “Mission Church, you can’t hide! We charge you with genocide!” On Easter Sunday, the same disruptors should vulgarities through a bullhorn and held bloody signs with pictures of dismembered babies, directly across from where church members’ children engaged in Easter activities in the parking lot.
On September 7, the same disruptors blocked entrances and blared ear-splitting sirens for three hours at an interfaith worship event hosted by the Christian & Jewish Alliance. They hit worshipers’ cars, called them “baby-killers,” pushed a Jewish guest into a busy street, and refused to leave even after the police arrived.
Attorneys cite the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (“FACE”) Act, which protects places of worship and individual worshipers from the types of aggressive activity demonstrated by this hostile group. At least three of the named defendants are local leaders for Code Pink San Diego, which is known for its antisemitism.
The lawsuit states, “Federal and California law do not tolerate Defendants’ conduct, which violated the civil rights of The Mission Church, the Christian & Jewish Alliance, and their members and guests. Defendants’ actions reflect a pattern of targeting the Church and the Alliance because of their religious beliefs, seeking to interfere with and prevent their religious gatherings.”
###
About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
 |
|
|
