Following an altercation concerning secret tunnels, New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers arrested 10 male individuals at the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The headquarters is a synagogue specifically for the Orthodox Jewish movement. Under the synagogue, male community members recently built tunnel system leading to a sanctuary. The group’s leaders attempted to seal off the secret tunnel on Jan. 8, 2024, when a protest broke out against the closure of the tunnel. The protest escalated violently, so the NYPD became involved.
The design and purpose of the tunnel system is unclear. The passage is believed to start in the basement of a vacant apartment building behind the synagogue, tunneling under offices and lecture halls, until it meets the synagogue. Teagan Humphries (24) said, “I started hearing about them a week or two ago on TikTok. I know they were discovered after some guy was walking and the sidewalk had an opening that showed some underground tunnels. I think they just wanted a place underground in case of an emergency or maybe they wanted to keep it hidden.” The construction of the tunnel is believed to be a form of vandalism committed by a misguided group of young men. A spokesman for the Chabad, Motti Sleigson, said the men were “extremists who broke through the wall to the synagogue, vandalizing the sanctuary, in an effort to preserve their unauthorized access” (AP News).
In opposition, those supporting the tunnel claimed that they were carrying out an expansion plan envisioned by the former head of Chabad movement, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Schneerson led the Chabad movement and revamped the community previously devastated by the Holocaust. Even though he passed in 1994, some Chabad movement members believe he is still alive hiding in the tunnels. “I would say the fact that it was hidden underground and no one really noticed it until now is pretty crazy and kind of makes you wonder about other things we haven’t discovered yet,” said Humphries.
As a cement truck approached on Jan. 8, 2024 to seal the opening of the tunnel, protests broke out. Protesters began ripping the wood siding off the synagogue and the police were called. The police responded to the group that was damaging the wall and for hours pleaded with the individuals at the opening of the tunnel. The individuals refused to leave the premises and the officers covered the area with a white curtain while detaining the individuals, handcuffing them with zip ties. An officer deployed an irritating spray amongst the crowd gathering around the opening of the tunnel in an attempt to disperse them. The incident hit the news and social media platform TikTok hard which brought attention to the matter. “I saw everything on the news about it. I think that maybe they were just looking for an opportunity and when they thought of an idea they just kind of went for it. I don’t know that it was a good idea, but when you see a pathway to something that you want you just kind of take it,” said Media Center Specialist, Elizabeth Keller.
Nine individuals ranging in ages of 19 to 22 were charged. From criminal mischief to reckless endangerment to obstructing governmental administration, the young men received summons for disorderly conduct. As the destruction took a toll on the religious community, members were found outside of the building praying. The building has faced an immense amount of damage and has been ordered to have emergency construction to stabilize the structure. The community will work on strengthening the building as the arrested individuals await sentencing.
