Protesting is protected by the U.S. Constitution.

But so are church services and meetings.

And when those exercising their right to protest violate the rights of those holding services, there’s a problem.

And now it’s in court in California, where lawyers for First Liberty Institute and Jones Day filed a federal lawsuit because “hostile agitators affiliated with Code Pink disrupted and interfered with multiple worship services.”

Destroyed were services being held by the Mission Church and the Christian & Jewish Alliance, an interfaith organization in the San Diego area.

They repeatedly have been subjected to “ongoing persecution” for trying to bring worship congregations together.

“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,” explained 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.”

Pastor JC Cooper of Mission Church said his congregation simply wants to “be able to worship and support our local Jewish community without fear or intimidation.”

Lawyer Jeremy Dys explained, “No church or synagogue should experience such vulgar harassment for simply conducting its religious activities. Blocking entrances and exits while intimidating worshipers with incessant shouting, vulgarities, and sirens violates the law.”

Defendants are identified as “Daniel Brunner, Aimee Magda Werth, Kristina Turner-Brown, Patrick Hartley, Sasha Spite Miller, Jacob Pagaduan, Esmat ‘Essie’ Baradar, Jonathan Provance, Maya Karalius, and Does 1 40.”

The events came about because Mission, of Carlsbad, believes Christians should support Jewish neighbors and the nation of Israel.

But protesters linked to the radicalized Code Pink organization “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!'”

The violent agitators came back on Easter Sunday to deliver even worse, the legal team charged.

At a third event, they “blocked entrances and blared ear-splitting sirens for three hours.”

That, the new legal action charges, violates the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which protects places of worship and individual worshipers from aggressive hostiles.

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.”

The action seeks a court judgment that the protesters are violating the law, that they trespassed, and a permanent order preventing them from futures attacks on worshippers. Also, the case seeks “appropriate relief” and “compensatory damages.”

Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is currently a news editor for the WND News Center, and also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.