{"id":2636882,"date":"2026-07-28T18:36:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-pledges-funds-for-security-at-religious-sites-amid-rising-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T18:42:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T22:42:07","slug":"doj-pledges-funds-for-security-at-religious-sites-amid-rising-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-pledges-funds-for-security-at-religious-sites-amid-rising-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ pledges funds for security at religious sites amid rising attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-pledges-funds-for-security-at-religious-sites-amid-rising-attacks%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2636882&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of justice is allocating over $7.7 million to enhance security at religious sites amid a surge in threats and violence, including active shooter incidents targeting such institutions. Funding opportunities allow faith communities and law enforcement to request up to $150,000 or $200,000 for measures like security equipment, training, and overtime law enforcement coverage, aimed at protecting worshippers and preventing attacks. The rise in violence includes three active shooter incidents in 2025 and increasing acts of hostility,vandalism,and threats against churches from 2018 through 2024. <\/p>\n<p>Federal funds will support safety measures such as <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >professional-grade security cameras linked<\/a> to law enforcement systems to facilitate evidence collection, especially for hate crimes. Additionally, overtime costs for law enforcement presence at religious facilities will be covered to serve as deterrents. <\/p>\n<p>The uptick in violence against religious groups is reflected in data from organizations like the Family Research Council, showing a notable increase in incidents as 2018, and incidents linked to anti-Christian sentiments and hate crimes. Recent geopolitical conflicts and domestic tensions have heightened concerns over targeted violence, with examples including a vehicle-ramming attack on a Michigan synagogue by a Lebanese-born U.S. citizen following Israel\u2019s military actions.Law enforcement remains alert for potential retaliatory or extremist acts, including those inspired by recent global conflicts or ideological motives. <\/p>\n<p>The DOJ\u2019s grant aims to foster stronger partnerships between religious communities and law enforcement, improve security infrastructure, and enhance incident reporting and investigation capacities to address the rising threats.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> is offering more than $7.7 million to boost security at religious facilities after a nationwide increase in active shooters and other threats against them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Faith-based institutions and police agencies can apply for up to $150,000 or $200,000 each for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bja-2026-172658.pdf\">varying expenses<\/a> related to protecting worshippers, according to the DOJ\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bja.ojp.gov\/funding\/opportunities\/o-bja-2026-172658?utm_campaign=fundingnewsandresources&#038;utm_medium=email&#038;utm_source=govdelivery\">Wednesday funding notice<\/a>. Three active shooters in the U.S. targeted such institutions in 2025 during a spike in deadly incidents by more than double since 2024, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wbaltv.com\/article\/house-of-worship-homicides-killed-injured-2025\/71017684\">WBAL-TV reported<\/a> in April, citing data from the Violence Prevention Project.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4665946\/doj-pledges-7-million-for-security-at-houses-of-worship-amid-heightened-threats\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DOJ pledges $7 million for security at houses of worship amid heightened threats<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4665634\/seiu-california-david-huerta-anti-ice-protest-charges-dropped\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Vindicated\u2019: Union that sparked Los Angeles anti-ICE riots celebrates leader\u2019s charge dismissal<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4664708\/15-year-old-arrested-seattle-shooting-suspect-juvenile-detention\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Fifteen-year-old arrested in connection with Seattle shooting<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bja-2026-172658_6d6a83.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of bja-2026-172658.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-8b7d0c9a-3110-404b-93ef-457f0769d1b7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bja-2026-172658_6d6a83.pdf\">bja-2026-172658<\/a><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/bja-2026-172658_6d6a83.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-8b7d0c9a-3110-404b-93ef-457f0769d1b7\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One category of the federal funding supports training and supplies for professional-grade security cameras, which will then be hooked up to real-time law enforcement systems, the DOJ said. \u201cVideo evidence is essential for proving the \u2018bias motivation\u2019 element required in hate crime cases, significantly increasing conviction rates and ensuring perpetrators face appropriate charges rather than having charges dismissed or reduced,\u201d the department wrote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second category \u201cwill fund overtime costs for state and local law enforcement officers to provide visible, uniformed security presence\u201d at religious facilities, the DOJ explained. \u201cThe visible deterrent effect of professional law enforcement presence has proven effective in preventing attacks on houses of worship.\u201d<\/p>\n<h1 id=\"h-violence-on-sacred-grounds\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Violence on sacred grounds<\/h1>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Christian advocacy group <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.frc.org\/newsroom\/frc-publishes-new-edition-of-hostility-against-churches-report-indicating-over-400-acts-of-hostility#gsc.tab=0\">Family Research Council<\/a> reported an uptick in crimes, vandalism, and threats targeting U.S. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/churches\/\">churches<\/a> from 50 incidents in 2018 to 485 in 2023. The numbers leveled out at 415 in 2024, the organization found. Officials <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FBIDirectorKash\/status\/1961124620595052673\">explicitly linked<\/a> anti-Christian <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/08\/27\/catholic-school-shooting-suspect-identified-manifestos\/\">sentiment<\/a> to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3786430\/minneapolis-church-shooter-expressed-hate-every-group-imaginable\/\">transgender-identified gunman<\/a> who killed two children at a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/3784359\/annunciation-church-minneapolis-shooting-days-of-violence\/\">Minnesota Catholic church<\/a> in August 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, military conflicts in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-east\/\">Middle East<\/a> since the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4663747\/netanyahu-mamdani-oct-7-fomenting-hate-israel\/\">2023 Israel-Hamas war<\/a> and the U.S. and Israel\u2019s February <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4617280\/iran-leadership-war-battered-transformed\/\">assault on Iran<\/a> have put <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-10\/24_0930_ia_24-320-ia-publication-2025-hta-final-30sep24-508.pdf\">agencies<\/a> across the West on <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ic3.gov\/PSA\/2024\/psa241004\">alert<\/a> for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/icct.nl\/publication\/hybrid-threat-signals-assessing-possible-iranian-involvement-recent-attacks-europe\">violent backlash against Jews<\/a>, among <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.dni.gov\/files\/ODNI\/documents\/assessments\/ATA-2026-Unclassified-Report.pdf\">other targets<\/a>. This year already brought at least one such incident: a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/lebanon\/\">Lebanon<\/a>-born naturalized U.S. citizen <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4492506\/brother-michigan-synagogue-attacker-hezbollah-commander\/\">rammed his truck<\/a> into a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\">Michigan<\/a> synagogue in March after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\">Israel<\/a> killed his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4509827\/michigan-synagogue-attack-terrorism-hezbollah\/\">two Hezbollah terrorist brothers<\/a>, law enforcement said. The man injured a security guard before dying in his burning vehicle.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4636898\/texan-armed-community-defense-for-leftists\/\"><strong>THIS TEXAN LED ARMED \u2018COMMUNITY DEFENSE\u2019 FOR LEFTISTS. NOW HE\u2019S SERVING 100 YEARS BEHIND BARS.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two gunmen also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4573716\/hate-rhetoric-san-diego-mosque-shooting\/\">killed three people at a California mosque<\/a> in May before killing themselves, marking what appears to be the first ideologically motivated deadly attack against a U.S. mosque this century, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.csis.org\/analysis\/san-diego-mosque-shooting-marks-deadly-first-united-states\">Center for Strategic and International Studies<\/a>. Law enforcement found <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2026\/05\/20\/san-diego-mosque-shooters-hated-basically-everyone-possible-manifesto-shows\/\">suspected manifestos<\/a> indicating the shooters <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/crime\/4576308\/san-diego-mosque-attack-manifesto-praises-religious-inspired-shootings\/\">harbored wide-ranging hatred<\/a> for Jews, Muslims, women, and other groups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ\u2019s new grant opportunity will \u201cstrengthen partnerships between religious communities and local law enforcement, implement evidence-based security measures, and build institutional capacity to report incidents and assist in criminal investigations,\u201d its funding notice says.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DOJ offers $7.7M to enhance security at religious sites amid rising threats<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1239,"featured_media":2636883,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP25240134130524-1-e1785275996586.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6513,4901,83354,3646],"class_list":["post-2636882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-funding","tag-justice","tag-religioussites","tag-security"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP25240134130524-1-e1785275996586.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1239"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2636882"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2636886,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2636882\/revisions\/2636886"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2636883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2636882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2636882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2636882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}