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The headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish movement is located in Brooklyn, New York. The complex also includes a synagogue, which is located below the building. On Monday evening, police discovered illegally constructed tunnels at the site, Reuters reported.
A spokesman for the New York Police Department said officers were called to the scene on Monday afternoon to deal with a rioting group that was disrupting order and damaging the wall, writes The Guardian.
Videos of the incident show chaos and screaming at the scene. Some members of the community even angrily overturn benches in the footage. The police arrested several men. The tunnels were sealed and police did not say what was inside. The synagogue is closed for the time being.
JUST IN: Chaos erupts in New York City after underground tunnels are discovered beneath the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn.
The subsequent incident reportedly occurred to prevent a cement truck from filling the tunnels.
According to Crown Heights Info, the… pic.twitter.com/jHotsUmHKJ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 9, 2024
The movement’s leadership distances itself from the incident
According to a spokesman for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, the whole incident began when a group of extremist students broke through the walls of nearby houses. Management then asked workers to repair the damage and pour concrete into the destroyed walls.
Some of those present did not like this and started an argument, to which the police were called, who discovered illegally built tunnels during the operation.
Management also released an official statement regarding the situation on the X network. “The Chabad-Lubavitch community is hurt by the vandalism of a group of young agitators who damaged the synagogue beneath Chabad headquarters on Monday evening… These heinous acts will be investigated and the sanctity of the synagogue will be restored.” “We thank New Yorkers Police for their professionalism and sensitivity,” he said in a statement on the situation.
STATEMENT FROM CHABAD-LUBAVITCH HEADQUARTERS
The Chabad-Lubavitch community is reeling from vandalism by a group of young agitators who damaged the synagogue beneath the Chabad headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway on Monday evening.
These heinous acts are being investigated and… pic.twitter.com/Ysn0jr7FTr
— Chabad Lubavitch Headquarters (@Lubavitch) January 9, 2024
The Chabad-Lubavitch movement is one of the largest Jewish movements in the world. The Brooklyn, New York residence is also known as “770” due to the house’s street number. This place became important for Hasidim in the 1940s and includes a synagogue, a school and offices. Thousands of people visit it every year, and Chabad-Lubavitch followers consider it a spiritual center. The Gothic-style building is so famous that there are several examples around the world.
It was the home of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who led the movement for more than 40 years before his death in 1994 and revitalized the Hasidic Jewish community that had been largely destroyed by the Holocaust. It is estimated that the movement currently has over 200,000 members.
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