NYC: Tunnels Under Synagogue Spark Chaos

Facts

• New York City police have closed off the area around a highly revered synagogue after chaos between members of the Hasidic Jewish community broke out on Monday. The altercation was reportedly sparked by the temple leaders' attempt to seal off the opening of a recently discovered tunnel built by several young men in the community. Proponents of the tunnel staged a protest in response.¹
• The disagreement turned violent and police clashed with members of the community, arresting 12 worshippers for allegedly damaging the underground synagogue beneath the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters in Crown Heights, New York. Chabad-Lubavitch is one of the most prominent organizations in Orthodox Judaism, and thousands of Hasidic Jews visit the building every year.²
• The origins of the tunnel are unclear, but it was allegedly dug to gain access from a nearby building. Footage shows a group of men blocking efforts to seal off the tunnels, and one video shows a community member emerging from a sewer and running away.³
• The tunnel was reportedly created using primitive tools like pick axes and sledgehammers. It originated in an abandoned mikveh, or ritual bath, around the corner, and then passed under a nearby women's worship space before eventually breaching the synagogue's main sanctuary; it was discovered last month when neighbors complained about unexplained noises beneath their homes.⁴
• The young men who brawled with police were charged with criminal mischief, attempted hate crime, attempted criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment. Riots erupted among worshippers when law enforcement tried to shut down the area, and the scandal comes as members of the community fight over who legally owns the property.⁴
• A Chabad spokesman condemned the construction of the tunnel. Proponents of the tunnel claim the intention was aimed at fulfilling the wishes of Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who died in 1994 after leading the Chabad movement for more than 40 years.⁵

Sources: ¹Associated Press, ²NBC, ³The Telegraph, ⁴New York Post and ⁵NBC New York.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Newsweek. The whole situation surrounding the secret tunnels underneath one of the world's most influential Jewish headquarters is quite strange, and the New York Police Department has decried the 'odious actions' of the young agitators. Yet the NYPD and Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters have yet to weigh on questions from media organizations. A full investigation is needed to provide context into this unusual discovery and heated interaction.
• Narrative B, as provided by Rolling Stone. Antisemitism continues to rise around the world, and conspiracy theorists are using the latest incident with the Chabad-Lubavitch community to spread demeaning tropes. A communal dispute over a synagogue by a small group of bad actors should never spread general antisemitic hate speech. The tunnels built in New York were created by some misguided young men, and extra effort in media coverage must be made to avoid the forthcoming investigation being colored by toxic conspiracies.