A bipartisan group of US House members has introduced legislation intended to strengthen protections for people attending religious services, responding to protests that have disrupted or obstructed access to houses of worship. Supporters say the measure would safeguard religious freedom and public safety, while its significance lies in the unusual cross-party agreement on balancing worshippers’ rights with protest rights.

The proposed SACRED Act would create a 100-foot protected zone around churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious institutions, making it a federal offence to harass or intentionally disrupt people within that area. It follows recent protests at religious sites, including a disruption of a Minnesota church service, and comes amid wider debate over whether such restrictions could also limit peaceful protest and free speech.