麻豆影视

Skip to main content

13 men plead not guilty to role in scuffle in secret Brooklyn synagogue tunnel

Hasidic Jewish students observe as law enforcement establishes a perimeter around a breached wall in the synagogue that led to a tunnel dug by students, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in New York. (Bruce Schaff via AP) Hasidic Jewish students observe as law enforcement establishes a perimeter around a breached wall in the synagogue that led to a tunnel dug by students, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in New York. (Bruce Schaff via AP)
Share
NEW YORK -

Thirteen members of the Hasidic Jewish community pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from their alleged role in a dispute over an illegal tunnel built beneath a historic Brooklyn synagogue.

The defendants, many of them international students from Israel, appeared in Brooklyn court Wednesday on charges of reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and obstruction of governmental administration. They were issued a limited protection order that bars them from making any excavations or alterations to the building. They also cannot be in contact with a local rabbi.

Prosecutors say the defendants - who ranged in age from 19 to 26 - were involved in a Jan. 8 melee in the basement of the global headquarters of Chabad-Lubavitch, a movement of Orthodox Judaism. The dispute erupted after the discovery of an underground passage connecting four buildings within the famed Jewish complex.

Proponents of the tunnel said they were carrying out the wishes of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the former Chabad leader and one of Judaism's most influential leaders, who spoke of expanding the densely packed worship space before his death in 1994. Some members of the Chabad community believe Schneerson is still alive and that he is the Messiah.

When Chabad leaders moved to seal the tunnel, characterizing it as a rogue act of vandalism, a group of young men fought back, ripping the wooden siding off the synagogue and refusing to leave the dusty passage. Their protest escalated as police arrived, leading to a chaotic scuffle and more than US$1,500 in property damage, according to court papers.

None of the men who were charged in the brawl were accused of digging the passage, which authorities described as a linear tunnel that was 60 feet (18.3 metres) long and 8 feet (2.4 metres) wide. In addition to the 13 people who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, four others are expected to face charges when they return from Israel in the coming weeks.

An investigation by the Department of Buildings found the tunnel, which has since been filled with concrete, compromised the stability of several structures surrounding the religious complex, leading to vacate orders at four buildings.

A two-story building adjacent to the synagogue remains subject to a vacate order due to the removal of fire-separating materials, according to a spokesperson for the buildings department.

An attorney for the defendants, Levi Huebner, did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. He previously said his clients were suffering from 鈥渁 combination of a little naivet茅 and misintended good thoughts.鈥

Rabbi Motti Seligson, a spokesperson for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, said in a text message: 鈥淲e pray that they see the error of their ways and atone for the harm that they have caused.鈥

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

opinion

opinion How to transition from renting to owning a home in Canada

In his column for CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew offers a step-by-step guide on how to make the shift from renting to becoming a homeowner, and what you can start doing today to help the process go smoother.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.