New York – A group of Hasidic Jewish men in Brooklyn, New York, were arrested on Monday amid a dispute over an illegal tunnel dug into the side of a historic synagogue, prompting a brawl with law enforcement officers. The tunnel, which remained undisclosed, led to a chaotic scene at the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood. The building, a significant site for the Orthodox Jewish movement, draws thousands of visitors each year and was at the center of the dispute.

According to Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesperson for the Chabad, the tunnel was secretly dug into a vacant building behind the headquarters, creating an underground passage that eventually connected to the synagogue. When a construction crew was brought in to fix the damage, they were met with protests from the group of Hasidic Jewish students who had created the tunnel. The group’s actions ultimately led to a brawl with law enforcement and the closure of the building pending a structural safety review by city inspectors.

The individuals responsible for the tunnel were arrested for criminal mischief, criminal trespass, and obstructing governmental administration, according to a spokesperson for the New York Police Department. Despite an anonymous tip about the location of the tunnel being sent to the New York City fire department last month, the reasons for its creation remain undisclosed. City inspectors were called in for an emergency structural inspection, with the NYPD confirming that the building is closed pending their review.

The Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters, a significant religious and cultural site, was at the center of the dispute over the illegal tunnel. The incident resulted in arrests and a skirmish with law enforcement, prompting an emergency structural inspection of the building. No additional information on the tunnel’s purpose has been provided.