{"id":32383,"date":"2026-08-08T11:55:09","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:55:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=32383"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:55:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T06:55:09","slug":"bipartisan-house-bill-targets-protests-disrupting-houses-of-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=32383","title":{"rendered":"Bipartisan House bill targets protests disrupting houses of worship"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div data-layout-index=\"4\" class=\"featured featured-video video-ct\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\"><!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"contain\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\">  <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"info\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\">\n<div class=\"caption\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\">\n<h4 class=\"title\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/video\/6397753108112\" data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_featured-video_5_1\" data-v-7b1896ea=\"\">St. Paul city attorney declines to prosecute church protesters<\/a><\/h4>\n<p data-v-7b1896ea=\"\">Pastor Jonathan Parnell and attorney Doug Wardlow join &#8216;Saturday in America&#8217; to discuss the controversial decision by the St. Paul city attorney to not prosecute anti-ICE protesters who stormed Cities Church in January, calling their actions a &#8220;peaceful protest.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"beyondwords-wrapper\" data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"beyondwords-wrapper\">\n<p><span class=\"label-bg\">NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">There&#8217;s a rare show of bipartisan unity in the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578721\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/congress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">House of Representatives<\/a> this week, as lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle come together to crack down on destructive protests targeting houses of worship.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Reps. Brad Knott, R-N.C., and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., are <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578722\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/politics\/house-of-representatives\/legislation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">introducing a bill<\/a> to make it a crime to knowingly disrupt or impede people from attending a religious service.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">That includes demonstrations taking place within 100 feet &#8220;from any pedestrian or vehicular entryway of any house of worship, during the period beginning 1 hour before the start of and ending 1 hour after the conclusion of a scheduled religious service,&#8221; according to legislative text obtained by Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578723\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/video-shows-mob-teens-invading-nyc-church-scientology-social-media-stunt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>VIDEO SHOWS MOB OF TEENS INVADING NYC CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY IN SOCIAL MEDIA STUNT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/343\/192\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/686\/384\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/672\/378\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1344\/756\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/931\/523\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1862\/1046\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/720\/405\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1440\/810\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"DHS law enforcement with William Kelly.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Federal law enforcement with anti-ICE agitator William Kelly, one of three people accused of leading a protest inside a church in St. Paul.<\/span> <span>(X\/@Sec_Noem)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">A violation of those guidelines would carry a $2,500 civil fine on the first offense, a $5,000 penalty on the second offense, and $10,000 for a third.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The bill does carve out limitations, however, such as demonstrations that are taking place with a federal, state, or local <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578724\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/shouldnt-need-permit-pray-own-home-supreme-court-should-agree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">government-issued permit<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The text&#8217;s language also specifically classifies disruptions based on things like volume, duration, and impact, rather than the content of speech \u2014 meaning the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578725\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/us\/personal-freedoms\/first-amendment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">First Amendment<\/a> is still protected.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Today, many Americans are unable to worship without fear of harassment, assault, or other forms of intimidation. The right to <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578727\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/faith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">worship freely<\/a> is foundational to our nation and was one of the motivations for its founding. No American should ever feel that their choice is between worshiping in fear and not worshiping at all,&#8221; Knott said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578728\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/first-fox-trump-doj-reaches-settlement-pro-life-protester-targeted-biden-admin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP DOJ REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH PRO-LIFE PROTESTER TARGETED BY BIDEN ADMIN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Suozzi said he supports people&#8217;s right to peacefully protest but &#8220;attendees of religious services should not be harassed, threatened, intimidated, or targeted for <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578729\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/faith-values\/faith\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">practicing their faith<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"image-ct inline\">\n<div class=\"m\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/343\/192\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/686\/384\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"192\" width=\"343\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/672\/378\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1344\/756\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"378\" width=\"672\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/931\/523\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1862\/1046\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"523\" width=\"931\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/720\/405\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1, https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1440\/810\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1 2x\" height=\"405\" width=\"720\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1200\/675\/anti-ice-protesters-storm-into-minneapolis-church-shout-down-parishioners-1.jpg?ve=1&amp;tl=1\" alt=\"Anti-ICE protesters inside a church\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"info\">\n<div class=\"caption\">\n<p><span>Anti-ICE protesters shouting in a church on Sunday.<\/span> <span>(Facebook\/DawokeFarmer2)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">At least four states adopted laws banning the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578731\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/video-shows-mob-teens-invading-nyc-church-scientology-social-media-stunt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">disruption of religious services<\/a> earlier this year, the <a data-omtr-intcmp=\"fnc_politics_article_main-content_article-body_6_578732\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/church-protest-laws-first-amendment-1e8cc645f697aba74e325b96ab244689\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Associated Press reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">It followed an incident in which Minnesota demonstrators upended service at a church where a federal immigration official was reportedly a pastor.<\/p>\n<p> <!----> <!----> <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"author-bio\">\n<p>Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.<\/p>\n<p>Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>St. Paul city attorney declines to prosecute church protesters Pastor Jonathan Parnell and attorney Doug Wardlow join &#8216;Saturday in America&#8217; to discuss the controversial decision by the St. Paul city attorney to not prosecute anti-ICE protesters who stormed Cities Church in January, calling their actions a &#8220;peaceful protest.&#8221; NEWYou can now listen to Fox News&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/st-paul-church-protester-arrest.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32383\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}