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June 4,

2015

The Honorable Loretta Lynch
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20530
The Honorable Vanita Gupta
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Lynch and Deputy Assistant Gupta:
We write to request the Department of Justice investigate whether armed
demonstrators outside of mosques violates the First Amendment rights of worshipers
and i8 U.S. Code § 248, the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.
Last week nearly 250 anti-Muslim protestors, many armed with assault rifles,
surrounded a mosque in Phoenix (see attached photos). This was the second armed
demonstration at the mosque; the first instilled so much fear and intimidation that the
mosque was forced to cancel religious services. The groups responsible for these hatefilled demonstrations have indicated that these demonstrations will be reoccurring in
other parts of the country. We are deeply concerned that the conduct of these
demonstrators impedes the First Amendment rights of worshipers at the mosque.
Further, the presence of armed demonstrators shouting hate speech creates an
environment that is likely to produce imminent violence.
These demonstrators argue that they are exercising their First Amendment rights. What
they fail to understand is that First Amendment rights are not absolute; they are limited
to protect the safety and rights of others. The decision to bring assault weapons to the
mosque demonstrates intent to create a hostile environment to intimidate worshipers, a
clear attempt to infringe on the First Amendment rights of the worshipers and a possible
violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), which prohibits
the use of “force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures,
intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

 person lawfully exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious
freedom at a place of religious worship.”
Armed protestors intimidating worshipers at churches, synagogues, mosques, or any
religious place of worship seems to be exactly the behavior that Congress sought to
outlaw when it passed the FACE Act. Enforcement of the law should not vary based on
the religious affiliation of those being intimidated.
The presence of assault weapons coupled with deep seeded bigotry and hate speech
creates a clear and present danger to worshipers and threatens lawless action.
The activity of these armed anti-Muslim demonstrators comes at a time when antiMuslim hate crimes are on the rise. As anti Muslim violence and bigotry sweep across
the country, we must do everything we can to prevent further tragedy and
discrimination.
Sincerely,
&~th blison
Member of Congress

iS U.S.C § 248

¶ré C rson
Member’ Congress
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