• 2025-09-29 20:43:28
• Gun Violence

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Federal prosecutors have filed a

The politically linked chaos erupted in November 2024, and has since spawned claims of bias from both sides. See Related: Pro-Palestine Protester Assaulted In West Orange, Group Alleges

Demonstrators said they were protesting a real estate seminar about buying property in Jerusalem, which they claimed is "stolen land." Prosecutors have characterized the gathering as an "Israel real estate fair and 'Ruach' (spiritual) event."

According to the Justice Department, the event was initially slated to take place at a private home near Ellis Street and Forest Avenue. The location was moved to a nearby synagogue – Congregation Ohr Torah – amid security concerns after someone hand-delivered a letter demanding cancellation of the event to one of the organizer's homes.

On Nov. 13, dozens of demonstrators gathered at the intersection, eventually marching toward the synagogue a few blocks away. Prosecutors allege that the protesters "surged" through a police line set up at a nearby fire station and marched onto the synagogue's front lawn sounding vuvuzelas: long, thin horns.

Prosecutors said that multiple protesters blew their horns close to one of the organizers, Moshe Glick, causing him to swat the instruments away. One of the pro-Palestine demonstrators, Altaf Sharif, allegedly squared off with Glick and "charged towards him" – which caused another pro-Israel supporter, David Silberberg, to pepper spray Sharif in his eyes.

According to prosecutors, another pro-Palestine demonstrator – Eric Camins – allegedly called out "The Jew is here!" and pointed at Silberberg. Sharif then went after Silberberg, put him in a neck hold, threw him to the ground and drug him down a hill toward the synagogue's parking lot, authorities alleged.

The tussle continued, with several bystanders grouping around the two, including Glick, who eventually hit Sharif with a flashlight in an attempt to loosen his hold on Silberberg – leaving a large cut on his head.

The New Jersey chapter of the Council on Islamic-American Relations (CAIR-NJ) previously called for bias charges to be filed against the counter-protesters, and said its members "strongly condemn" the incident, which left Sharif hospitalized.

Selaedin Maksut, the group's executive director, said the case should be prosecuted "to the full extent of the law."

"No one should be targeted for practicing their right to free speech and assembly, especially those advocating for human rights and justice," Maksut urged. "We call on our state's elected leaders to condemn this hate crime and let it be known that anti-Palestinian hate will not be tolerated in our state."

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office eventually filed charges against Glick and Silberberg, charging them each with aggravated assault, bias intimidation and weapons offenses.

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Federal prosecutors have disputed protesters' claims, however, accusing Sharif of putting Silberberg in a "chokehold" and pointing to video surveillance footage that captured parts of the scuffle (see photos below).

The Justice Department is accusing the protesters of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), a

Among other things, the law prohibits "intentionally injuring, intimidating, or interfering with, or attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere, any person by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship."

Federal prosecutors have named several protesters in their civil complaint, including Sharif, Camins, Tova Fry, who allegedly delivered the letter to Glick's home prior to the protest, another protester, Matt Dragon, and two unknown "Jane and John Does," one of whom allegedly set off a stink bomb in the area.

Prosecutors have also named two local advocacy groups – the New Jersey chapter of the national Party for Socialism and Liberation, and the New Jersey chapter of American Muslims for Palestine – accusing them of helping to organize and promote the protest.

"The defendants' actions were motivated by the religious nature of the event and the Jewish identity – both as a race and religion – of the worshipers, as evidenced by antisemitic statements like 'The Jew is here' and the targeting of Glick's prayer space and Congregation Ohr Torah, a synagogue," prosecutors alleged.

The Justice Department's complaint seeks a permanent injunction to ban the defendants from coming within a 50-foot buffer zone of Congregation Ohr Torah's main entrance or Glick's home, and prohibiting them from "organizing, participating in, or promoting any demonstration within 500 feet of Congregation Ohr Torah or any other place of religious worship in the District of New Jersey during religious services or events, without a valid permit, where such demonstration is intended to disrupt or intimidate worshipers."

Federal prosecutors are asking for a $31,670 civil penalty against each defendant for the first violation of the FACE Act, and a $52,786 penalty for each subsequent violation.

Prosecutors are also calling for statutory compensatory damages for each person who was "intimidated or prevented from attending the religious event on Nov. 13, 2024."

Some community advocates have since applauded the DOJ's announcement.

"The frivolous selective prosecution of Dr. Glick has left the Jewish community feeling vulnerable and convinced that antisemitism has permeated our legal system," said Susan Wernick, co-founder of the Jewish Bar Association of New Jersey.

"I thank the [Justice Department] for going to bat for what is right," Wernick said.

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