Chaos Erupted After NYPD Discovers Secret Tunnel Inside Brooklyn Synagogue

What exactly was the tunnel used for?

Nine worshippers were arrested on Jan. 8 after NYPD officers uncovered a secret tunnel inside a historic Jewish temple in Brooklyn.

Law enforcement was called to the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood when a brawl broke out between officers and parishioners defending the passageway. When a cement truck pulled up to fill the previously discovered hole, defenders allegedly stood inside, refusing to move, causing officers to take action. When one protestor was eventually removed, the video shows a group of onlookers begin to shove officers, throwing furniture and tossing scattered prayer books. One officer appeared to set off an irritating spray at the group.

A secret tunnel was discovered under a historic Jewish synagogue in Brooklyn, NY after locals reported hearing weird noises beneath their homes.

When authorities pulled up to shut it down, chaos ensued between the NYPD and the men who allegedly used it.pic.twitter.com/c31XcaAtYv
— No Jumper (@nojumper) January 9, 2024

Chabad spokesperson Motti Seligson believes a “group of extremist students” secretly broke through the walls of a building behind the headquarters, creating the underground entrance under a group of office buildings and lecture halls to connect to the synagogue. “Those efforts were disrupted by the extremists who broke through the wall of the synagogue, vandalizing the sanctuary, to preserve their unauthorized access,” Seligson said, according to Brooklyn Paper.

All nine men, ranging from ages 19 to 21, face charges of criminal mischief and reckless endangerment, with one facing obstruction of governmental administration charges.

This isn’t the first time authorities had their eye on Chabad. The New York City Fire Department received an anonymous tip regarding the property in December 2023. Spokesperson Amanda Farinacci said the fire prevention team responded on Dec. 20, but the tunnel was undetected, and all exits were operable and up to code. However, two violations were issued, including failing to obtain a certificate of operation and failing to provide access to inspect the sprinkler main shut-off valve during the time of inspection.

The building is currently closed pending a review, which Seligson hopes is expedited. “This is, obviously, deeply distressing to the Lubavitch movement and the Jewish community worldwide,” he said. “We hope and pray to be able to expeditiously restore the sanctity and decorum of this holy place.”