NYPD investigating, after car repeatedly hits doors at Chabad headquarters in Brooklyn

New York City Police Department officers arrested a man who repeatedly rammed a car into an entrance to Chabad world headquarters in Brooklyn on Wednesday night. No injuries were reported.

The NYPD told JNs that officers responded at around 8:45 p.m. to 770 Eastern Parkway, where they saw a gray Honda sedan which “collided into entrance doors at the bottom of a sloped driveway in front of 770 Eastern Parkway.”

“The operator of the vehicle was taken into custody and the investigation remains ongoing,” NYPD said. The department told JNS that its hate crimes team wasn’t yet on the scene.

Wednesday, the 10th of Shevat, is one of the most important days of the calendar for Chabad, with tens of thousands from around the world converging on the site to mark the 75th anniversary of the Lubavitcher Rebbe assuming the leadership role in 1951.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stated that “for the second day in a row, Jewish New Yorkers were the targets of antisemitic violence.”

“Thankfully, there appear to be no injuries, but an attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers,” the Democratic governor wrote. “My team is coordinating with the NYPD and have offered any assistance we can provide in their investigation.”

Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York City, said that he was on site, “where a man intentionally and repeatedly crashed his car into the building.”

“I am relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident,” the mayor said. “This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world.”

“Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously,” added the mayor, who is reportedly considering two people, who are said to be anti-Chassidic, to run the city office to combat Jew-hatred. “Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable.”

“I stand in solidarity with the Crown Heights Jewish community, and I am grateful to our first responders for taking swift action,” Mamdani said. “I will keep New Yorkers updated as we learn more about the incident.”

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), chair of the House Republican leadership, said that it was “another horrific antisemitic attack in New York City” and that “this is the continuation of a deeply disturbing and dangerous trend of skyrocketing antisemitism in what used to be considered among the safest cities in the world for Jewish families.”

Julie Menin, speaker of the New York City Council, stated that the incident was “horrifying.”

“Fortunately, there are no reported injuries at this time,” she wrote. “We spoke to Chabad representatives to offer our support, and we are in touch with the NYPD. We are closely monitoring this deeply concerning situation.”

Mark Levine, New York City comptroller, stated that it was “a frightening incident at one of our city’s most iconic Jewish institutions.”

“On a significant Chabad holiday, Yud Shevat, when large numbers are gathering in the neighborhood,” he wrote. “I’m incredibly grateful no one was injured, and that NYPD quickly detained the suspect.”

The Republican Jewish Coalition stated that it was “vile antisemitic violence, this time targeting the iconic 770 Chabad headquarters.”

“Thank God nobody was hurt,” the RJC said. “The coward responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Video footage that circulated on social media appeared to show the car going down a sloped entrance into the rear doors of Chabad’s main synagogue, as onlookers gathered on steps above and a sidewalk nearby.

The driver appeared to back up and repeat the ramming four more times, although recordings seemed to begin in the middle of the incident.

The impact broke at least one door and the doorway. The car did not appear to make it through into the synagogue, and there were no initial reports of structural damage.

A bearded man, with shoulder-length hair and clad in a gray sweatshirt over a black t-shirt with jean shorts and black boots, exited the car. Police arrived moments later and arrested him without further incident.

It seemed, although the audio wasn’t clear, that the driver was saying that there was a problem with the car or that some other issue prevented him from backing up. It sounded like some onlookers cursed at him as he was taken away.

Motti Seligson, a Chabad spokesman, stated that the site is “perhaps the most replicated building in the world because of the light, joy, Torah and a confident Judaism that emanates from it to all corners of the world.”

The NYPD told JNS that it could not confirm a media report of a bomb squad called to the location to search the car as a precaution.

David Greenfield, CEO of Met Council, stated that “770 is the world headquarters of Chabad and the most visible Jewish center in New York City.”

“It already has police protection and this happened,” he wrote. He added that it was important to pass Hochul’s and Menin’s “package of laws to slow the epidemic of antisemitism now.”

“Just after the assault on a rabbi in Forest Hills,” wrote Philip Klein, editor of National Review Online. “As I said the night Mamdani was elected, it’s now open season on Jews in New York City.”

© JNS