Federal judge blocks Maryland gun restrictions at synagogue

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Montgomery County, Maryland, preventing the enforcement of local handgun restrictions at the Silver Spring Jewish Center. The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow, allows licensed members of the congregation’s volunteer security team to carry firearms at the synagogue.

The decision comes ahead of Rosh Hashanah. In her 72-page opinion, Judge Chasanow found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on their Second Amendment and free exercise claims, noting that the county failed to demonstrate a widespread historical tradition of prohibiting firearms in houses of worship. She also observed that the county law treats houses of worship differently than comparable private properties.

The legal challenge was brought by the New Civil Liberties Alliance. The county’s ordinance had previously prohibited firearms within 100 yards of places of public assembly, including houses of worship. While the injunction protects the Silver Spring Jewish Center, it does not apply to other synagogues in the county, nor does it block the enforcement of the 100-yard buffer zone around the institution.