Several people were arrested for trying to prevent authorities from filling in illegal tunnels found at the headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch community in New York, which connected to a synagogue. Several students attacked the trucks that were pumping cement to force them to stop and later tore wooden panels from the building to enter the tunnels where they began to study the Torah until the police managed to evict them. Several rabbis condemned what happened at the holy site, including Yehuda Krinsky, president of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, who called it "vandalism by young agitators."
Here's how it all started.
Bochurim ripped wooden panels to prevent a cement truck from sealing off the recently discovered tunnels.
They then went inside the tunnel and started to learn.
The NYPD was immediately called. pic.twitter.com/e5KFCPRDIC
— Frum TikTok (@FrumTikTok) January 8, 2024
"Extremist students"
According to Motti Seligson, Chabad's communications director, it was all caused by "extremist students" trying to maintain illegal access to the synagogue they had built in secret. Seligson said the building will remain closed until a "structural safety review" is completed.
Some time ago, a group of extremist students, broke through a few walls in adjacent properties to the synagogue at 784-788 Eastern Parkway, to provide them unauthorized access. Earlier today, a cement truck was brought in to repair those walls. 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. They have since been arrested and the building closed pending a structural safety review.
Seligson highlighted that since the movement "they have attempted to obtain adequate control of the facilities through the New York State judicial system" something that, "unfortunately, despite constantly prevailing in the courts, the process has dragged on for years." After showing his regret for what happened, he showed his confidence in "being able quickly restore holiness and the decorum of this sacred place."
Rabbi Krinsky also announced that they will open an investigation to clarify "these hateful actions" and thanked the New York Police Department "for their professionalism and sensitivity."
