A judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed in Portland, Oregon, against the watchdog group StopAntisemitism, with the National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) announcing the legal victory on Friday.
The case, adjudicated by Judge Adrienne Nelson in the US District Court for the District of Oregon, centered on social media posts published by the watchdog group regarding Sue Lewis, a professional musician and private music teacher who worked as an independent contractor at Valley Catholic Music School during the 2023 to 2024 school year.
Lewis brought a multi-claim lawsuit against the organization alleging defamation, false light invasion of privacy, tortious interference with contractual relations, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
StopAntisemitism had posted warnings online in August 2024, alerting parents to Lewis’s public social media activity, stating that she denied the Jewish connection to Israel, claimed that Jews control humanity, and labeled Zionism as a ‘terror movement based on Jewish supremacy.’ Lewis sued the organization over these characterizations of her posts, alleging that StopAntisemitism caused her professional and personal harm.
'Genocide is no way to make a state'
The watchdog group highlighted several specific historical posts shared by Lewis on her social media accounts. In October 2018, Lewis shared graphic material asserting that “Zionist Jews have managed to mentally condition humanity to accept and remain silent as they commit genocide in Palestine,” and posted that “If Jewish people want their own state they shouldn’t (sic) put it on someone else’s state. Genocide is no way to make a state!”
In February 2019, Lewis shared a post stating, “A horrible way to start a new nation. Too bad they didn’t heed the words of Einstein and share the wealth and infrastructure with their Semitic blood brothers. Instead, they copied their Nazi oppressors.”
Additional posts shared in late 2023 included graphics stating that “The Israeli false stories of babies beheaded and women raped were a necessary lie to mobilize Western support for the Palestinian Genocide,” alongside commentary asserting that “Yeah these Hamas militants are going to wipe out Israel with their homemade bombs, small arms, hang gliders, grenades and slingshots. Be afraid, be very afraid.”
Represented by Abra Siegel of the National Jewish Advocacy Center and James L. Buchal of Murphy and Buchal LLP, StopAntisemitism successfully defended the lawsuit as the district court sided with the defense on all counts.
Court rules the watchdogs' statements were protected opinions
Granting the special motion to strike under Oregon’s anti-SLAPP statute, Judge Nelson dismissed the complaint and ruled that the watchdog group’s characterizations of Lewis’s public statements constituted protected opinion under the First Amendment.
Nelson stated that “the public is indeed interested in educators’ viewpoints on controversial topics, particularly where the educator has posted those viewpoints online for the world to see.” The court emphasized that because StopAntisemitism displayed direct screenshots and archive links alongside its commentary, readers could view Lewis’s underlying posts and evaluate the group’s interpretations for themselves.
Abra Siegel, Senior Litigation Counsel for NJAC, said in a statement, “We are very gratified that the court granted our motion under the Oregon anti-SLAPP law, and enforced the law as intended: with the expedited dismissal of a non-meritorious lawsuit attacking constitutionally protected speech.”
Reacting to the decision, Liora Rez, founder and executive director of StopAntisemitism, stated in a press release that the ruling was “a resounding victory for every organization working to expose antisemitism without fear of being silenced through meritless litigation. Educators who publicly promote false and derogatory views about Jews and Zionism cannot then weaponize the courts against those who accurately highlight and condemn their own words.”
Rez added that, “StopAntisemitism will never be intimidated into silence. We are grateful to the National Jewish Advocacy Center, Abra Siegel, James Buchal, and the entire legal team for defending our constitutional rights and securing this important victory.”
NJAC stated that the organization “was honored to represent StopAntisemitism in this case and will continue fighting to ensure the legal system is not weaponized against those who speak out.”