US: Secret tunnel found under Brooklyn synagogue, wild riot breaks out as police make arrests. Video
Story highlights
Chaos erupted at a Brooklyn synagogue as Orthodox Jewish men clashed with construction workers filling an illegally dug tunnel beneath the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters. The NYPD intervened, arresting at least 10. The incident stems from a legal dispute over complex ownership, with conflicting reports on the tunnel's purpose.
Chaos unfolded at a synagogue in Brooklyn as Orthodox Jewish men clashed with construction workers attempting to fill an illegally dug tunnel beneath the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters. The New York Police Department (NYPD) intervened, leading to the arrest of at least 10 people, as reported by Reuters.
The tunnels, discovered beneath the well-known Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn's Crown Heights, posed a threat to the landmark's foundation.
Construction workers arrived to address the situation, leading to a confrontation with members of the Chabad community who opposed the filling of the tunnels.
Protests escalate into clashes with NYPD
As a cement truck attempted to fill the tunnels, protests intensified, resulting in the tearing down of wooden panels from the main synagogue.
Clashes erupted between the protesters and the NYPD, with officers eventually removing the panels to make way for the cement truck. Multiple protesters, who refused to vacate the tunnel, were handcuffed and arrested.
The incident has ignited anger within the Chabad community, prompting calls for action. A legal dispute over the ownership of the complex is already underway, with the Chabad-Lubavitch movement at odds with the synagogue leadership.
What the video here:
DEVELOPING STORY:
— Frum TikTok (@FrumTikTok) January 8, 2024
Chaos At 770: A chaotic scene at the Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, after Bochurim ripped wooden panels to prevent a cement truck from sealing off the recently discovered tunnels.
The NYPD are on scene, and 770 will be closed shortly to regain control. pic.twitter.com/ETvEYqtqNI
The disagreement revolves around the hundred-year-old house's legal ownership, adding complexity to the situation.
While the motive behind the illegal tunnel remains unclear, reports from Forward.com suggest it may have been intended to reach an abandoned women's mikvah (ritual baths).
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According to an NYPD spokesperson, officers responded to 911 calls reporting a disorderly group outside 770 Eastern Parkway. The individuals had unlawfully entered the premises by damaging a wall, leading to several arrests. Charges are pending, and no injuries were reported during the incident.
Yosef Braun, the synagogue's rabbi, expressed dismay over the actions of the individuals involved, deeming their behaviour "horrid." Braun, as reported by Daily Mail, called the act demolishing a sacred space "mind-boggling" and asserted the need to hold those responsible accountable.
(With inputs from agencies)
