New York City – A group of men from a Hasidic Jewish community in New York was apprehended on Monday after an illegal tunnel was discovered beneath a historic synagogue. Law enforcement intervened, leading to a clash between the police and the individuals responsible for the secret passageways.
The Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters, situated in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood, was plunged into chaos as Jewish leaders and law enforcement confronted what Rabbi Motti Seligson described as a “group of extremist students.” The building, once home to Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the orthodox Jewish movement, attracts thousands of visitors annually. Schneerson revitalized a Hasidic religious community that had been ravaged by the Holocaust during his more than four decades of leadership until his passing in 1994.
According to Seligson, the rebellious students surreptitiously burrowed through the walls of an adjacent vacant building, constructing an underground passage that ultimately connected to the synagogue. On Monday, construction workers were summoned to repair the damaged walls, but they were met with opposition from the students who created the tunnels. Seligson explained, “Those efforts were disrupted by the extremists who broke through the wall to the synagogue, vandalizing the sanctuary, in an effort to preserve their unauthorized access.”
The motive behind the construction of the tunnels remains undisclosed. The New York Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson revealed that those responsible for the tunnels’ creation face charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and obstructing governmental administration.
City inspectors were called to conduct an emergency structural inspection, prompting police officers to set up barricades around the headquarters, preventing a group of young men from entering. Last month, an anonymous tip was sent to the New York City Fire Department, but when fire prevention personnel responded, all exits were found to be functioning correctly and in compliance with safety codes.
The NYPD has declared the building closed until city inspectors complete a thorough review of its structural integrity.
In conclusion, a group of men from a Hasidic Jewish community in New York City have been arrested for constructing an illegal tunnel beneath a historic synagogue. The incident led to a confrontation between the police and the individuals responsible for the secret passageways. The building, which served as the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters and was once the residence of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, has been closed pending a structural safety evaluation by city inspectors.