By: Fern Sidman

Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, issued a scathing public rebuke Tuesday morning after witnessing what he described as a “despicable” anti-Israel protest on his way to the Justice Department headquarters.

VIN News, which has closely tracked the rising tide of antisemitic incidents in the wake of ongoing Middle East hostilities, reported that the protest took place near Lafayette Square, a frequent staging ground for politically charged demonstrations. According to several images shared online, protesters brandished banners denouncing Israeli military operations and condemning recent U.S. involvement in joint strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a post that quickly gained traction among conservative commentators and pro-Israel activists, Terrell wrote: “On my way to work this morning, I passed an anti-Israel protest. Israel takes extraordinary steps to avoid civilian casualties, even when terrorists hide among civilians! Where’s the outrage at those who actually target civilians?”

He continued: “Israel and the United States just destroyed nuclear sites that threaten us all. These nations should be thanked, not smeared. Spectacles like this only motivate me to fight harder to combat antisemitism!”

Terrell, a civil rights attorney with decades of courtroom and media experience, was appointed earlier this year to his role as Senior Counsel in the Civil Rights Division — a decision praised by supporters of the Trump administration who view him as a staunch defender of constitutional rights and traditional American values. His strong denunciation of Tuesday’s protest comes amid mounting concerns about the mainstreaming of anti-Israel rhetoric, particularly within U.S. academic institutions, activist circles, and even some sectors of elected government.

As VIN News has repeatedly documented, public demonstrations against Israel have surged since the outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict, with protestors frequently using language that many Jewish organizations argue crosses the line from political criticism into outright antisemitism. Recent protests in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington have included slogans accusing Israel of “apartheid,” displaying swastikas intertwined with the Star of David, and even calling for the “liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea” — a phrase widely interpreted as a call for the eradication of the Jewish state.

Reaction to Terrell’s message was swift and supportive. The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), the American Jewish Committee (AJC), and prominent Jewish media outlets applauded his clear moral stance and called on other public officials to follow his lead.

“Leo Terrell’s statement is a powerful reminder that those in positions of influence must use their voice to defend truth, justice, and the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Dov Klein, a Washington-based advocate affiliated with StandWithUs. “We need more courageous individuals who are willing to confront antisemitism — not excuse or rationalize it.”

Similarly, Sarah Abrams, a spokesperson for the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), said in a statement quoted by VIN News, “In a time when false narratives about Israel are flooding the public square, Mr. Terrell’s words cut through the noise. The defense of democracy begins with calling out lies.”

Terrell’s remarks came just days after the United States joined Israel in executing coordinated airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear facilities in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation, confirmed by President Trump on Sunday night, marked a turning point in the Israel-Iran conflict and drew international attention for its precision and scale. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as reported by VIN News, described the mission as “a vital act of deterrence” that “neutralized imminent threats to the global order.”

While praised by many in the pro-Israel community, the strikes also reignited protests across U.S. cities. Activists opposed to the U.S. role in Middle Eastern affairs accused both Washington and Jerusalem of “escalating war crimes,” a claim vigorously rejected by the Trump administration.

“These strikes were defensive, measured, and absolutely necessary,” Terrell said in a follow-up interview with VIN News Tuesday afternoon. “It’s astonishing that people would use their freedom of speech in this country to vilify the very nations that protect it. Israel goes to great lengths — more than any other military in the world — to avoid civilian casualties. That should be admired, not attacked.”

The incident also comes as the Department of Justice ramps up its efforts to investigate and prosecute hate crimes, including a recent spike in antisemitic assaults, threats, and harassment across college campuses and Jewish community centers. Terrell, who has made antisemitism a central focus of his portfolio, has been instrumental in advising new DOJ protocols to expedite hate crime response and to promote educational initiatives combatting anti-Jewish bigotry.

VIN News previously reported on Terrell’s role in shaping DOJ outreach to vulnerable religious communities following attacks on Jewish synagogues and schools in recent years. His latest public condemnation of the anti-Israel protest is seen by many as consistent with that mission.

“Injustice anywhere must be confronted — that’s the foundation of civil rights,” Terrell said. “But let’s be clear: Antisemitism disguised as anti-Zionism is still antisemitism. And the Justice Department will not tolerate it.”

With tensions still simmering in the Middle East and public discourse in the U.S. growing increasingly polarized, officials such as Leo Terrell are poised to play a key role in setting the tone for how the country responds to both foreign threats and domestic division. As VIN News reported, Terrell’s words this week signal a Department of Justice unafraid to wade into the complexities of geopolitics when the safety and dignity of the American Jewish community are at stake.

“Today, I saw hatred disguised as activism,” Terrell wrote in his final tweet of the morning. “Tomorrow, I’ll continue fighting for truth — because that’s what justice demands.”