Court won’t stop protests outside Michigan synagogue

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Pro-Palestinian protests outside a Jewish synagogue in Michigan are protected by the Constitution’s First Amendment. That’s the opinion of a federal appeals court.

The court declined to stop the demonstrations or set restrictions outside Beth Israel Synagogue in Ann Arbor. The protests have occurred on a weekly basis since 2003, with people holding signs that say "Jewish Power Corrupts" and "End the Palestinian Holocaust."

Members of the synagogue, including some Holocaust survivors, say the protests have caused emotional distress.

But the appeals court says the protesters aren’t blocking access to the synagogue or making a lot of noise.