How a secret tunnel in a New York synagogue led to 10 arrests and a brawl between police and worshippers

Police in New York City say 10 people were arrested amid a brawl in a historic Brooklyn synagogue on Monday, after the discovery of a secret tunnel prompted authorities to intervene.

The dispute saw police and worshippers clash after a group of Hasidic Jewish students tried to defend their makeshift passageway.

Here's what we know about how the incident unfolded.

The tunnel was found in a historic New York building

The tunnel was discovered at the world headquarters of the Hasidic movement Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Crown Heights.

The building was once home to the movement's leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, and it draws thousands of visitors each year.

The synagogue's Gothic Revival architecture is recognisable to adherents of the Chabad movement, and replicas of the building have been constructed all over the world, including in Melbourne.

The underground passage ran beneath a row of office buildings and lecture halls, which eventually connected to the synagogue.

Tunnel found at Chabad World Headquarters

The Orthodox Jewish Hasidic movement's headquarters are in the Brooklyn neighbourhood of Crown Heights.

Police were called and 'extremist students' arrested

Motti Seligson, the director of media at Chabad, has accused "a group of extremist students" of breaking through the walls of a vacant building behind the headquarters, in order to gain "unauthorised access".

Mr Seligson said efforts to repair the walls with cement were disrupted when the group in the tunnel broke through to the synagogue, leading to a stand-off.

A New York Police Department spokesperson told the Associated Press news agency that officers were called to the building on Monday afternoon.

Video from the scene showed police confronting young men who were standing in a space behind the brick wall.

After police removed one of the men from the tunnel, a group of onlookers could be seen tossing desks, scattering books and shoving officers. One of the officers also appeared to use an irritating spray on the group.

Police said 10 people were arrested for criminal mischief and criminal trespass, and one for obstructing governmental administration.

Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch educational and social-services arms, said his community had been "pained by the vandalism of young agitators".

It's unclear when or why the tunnel was constructed

It isn't clear when or why the tunnel was built, but there are unconfirmed reports that the work took place over the past few years.

Inspectors from New York's building safety agency carried out an emergency assessment of the damage on Tuesday, while a group of police officers stood behind barricades outside the building, blocking a group of men from entering.

A spokesperson from the New York City Fire Department told the Associated Press that authorities had received an anonymous tip about the building in December, but all of its exits were found to be up to code during an inspection.

Chabad's Mr Seligson said the building was now closed, pending a structural safety review.

He added that Chabad officials had been trying to "gain proper control of the premises through the New York State court system", but the process had "dragged on for years".

The legal dispute reportedly involves another Jewish group.

"This is, obviously, deeply distressing to the Lubavitch movement, and the Jewish community worldwide," Mr Seligson said on social media platform X.

"We hope and pray to be able to expeditiously restore the sanctity and decorum of this holy place."

Rabbi Krinsky thanked police for their work, and said: "These odious actions will be investigated, and the sanctity of the synagogue will be restored.

"We are grateful for the outpouring of concern, and for the support of our Chabad-Lubavitch institutions around the world."

New York City Council member Crystal Hudson, who represents the Crown Heights neighbourhood, says online discourse has been "plagued by the propagation of vile anti-Semitic rhetoric and tropes" since the incident.

"Our city remains a place where hate will not be tolerated, and I remain committed to nurturing a safe, inclusive community for all people," she says.

Story by : Tom Williams

Origional Story: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-10/secret-tunnel-new-york-synagogue-brooklyn-arrests-police/103300984