group of jewish students arrested After attempting to stop police from burying a tunnel beneath a historic synagogue in Brooklyn, New York.
Officials were alerted to a tunnel leading to Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights.
Chabad spokesperson Motti Seligson said a “group of radical students” dug the tunnel to extend the synagogue into a nearby cluster of office buildings.
Police said nine young men were arrested after students rioted after refusing to leave the tunnel so police could fill it with cement.
Video shows furniture being thrown and people shoving police before officers use irritant spray on the group.
Nine people were charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. They were all between 19 and 21 years old.
The religious group issued a statement thanking the NYPD and blaming “instigators” for the tunnel.
“The Chabad and Lubavitch communities are saddened by the vandalism by a group of young agitators who destroyed the synagogue in the basement of Chabad headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway on Monday night,” the statement said. .
“These abhorrent acts will be investigated and the sanctity of the synagogue will be restored,” they added. “We thank the NYPD for their professionalism and care. We appreciate the outpouring of concern and the support of Chabad-Lubavitch agencies around the world.”
New York City Fire Department spokeswoman Amanda Farinacci said no tunnels were found when fire prevention teams inspected the synagogue on Dec. 20.
The synagogue says it has tried to use New York's court system to gain control of the site, but its efforts have dragged on for years.
The synagogue was closed Tuesday as authorities determined whether the tunnel had compromised the famous building's structural integrity. Worshipers prayed outside in the rain during the closure.
“There's a terrible feeling in the community.” Said Baruch Dahan, synagogue student. “It's a shame that we destroyed it instead of expanding it.”
News of Jewish tunnels beneath the streets of New York City has sparked countless viral memes on social media.
Here is a video about this incident:
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