In a shocking turn of events, a group of Hasidic Jewish worshippers were arrested after a dispute over a secret tunnel that had been dug into the side of a historic synagogue in Brooklyn. The incident took place at the Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in Crown Heights, a building that holds great significance for the Chabad movement and draws thousands of visitors each year.

The discovery of the tunnel prompted an emergency structural inspection by the city, as concerns grew about the safety and integrity of the building. The headquarters, located at 770 Eastern Parkway, was once the home of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Its Gothic Revival facade is instantly recognizable to adherents of the movement, and replicas of the building have been constructed around the world.

According to Motti Seligson, a spokesperson for Chabad, a group of "extremist students" had secretly broken through the walls of a vacant building behind the headquarters, creating an underground passage that eventually connected to the synagogue. The property's manager had brought in a construction crew to fix the damaged walls, but this led to a standoff with those who wanted the passageway to remain intact.

The situation escalated when the police were called to the building on Monday afternoon. They were met with a disorderly group of young men who were trespassing and damaging a wall. Video footage captured the chaotic scene, with police confronting the young men standing within the hollowed-out space inside a brick wall. The onlookers can be seen shoving officers, tossing wooden desks, and scattering prayer books. In response, one officer appeared to deploy an irritating spray at the jeering group.

As a result of the altercation, 10 people were arrested for criminal mischief and criminal trespass, while one person was arrested for obstructing governmental administration. The purpose of the tunnel remains unclear, and it is not known when it was constructed. However, the New York City Fire Department received an anonymous tip about its location last month. When a fire prevention team responded, they found all of the exits operable and up to code.

The incident has left the Chabad-Lubavitch community and the Jewish community worldwide deeply distressed. The Chabad movement, led by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson for over four decades, played a crucial role in revitalizing a Hasidic religious community devastated by the Holocaust. The headquarters in Crown Heights was also at the center of the 1991 Crown Heights riots, which erupted after a 7-year-old boy was killed by a car in the rabbi's motorcade.

In a separate development, it was revealed that the tunnels were reportedly dug by a different Jewish group that contested the Chabad Lubavitch's claim on the building. The NYPD visited the synagogue after the mysterious tunnels were discovered, and chaos ensued as police attempted to fill the secret tunnel and alcove. Ultra-Orthodox believers opposed the police, throwing benches and rioting inside the facility. Some individuals who wanted the tunnels to remain open fled into them in an attempt to dissuade the police.

The incident resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals, four of whom were charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Two were charged with an attempted hate crime and criminal mischief, three were charged with attempted criminal mischief, and three were taken into custody for disorderly conduct. The tunnels were reportedly built without authorization from the Chabad leadership.

Motti Seligson, the director of media at Chabad, issued a statement expressing the organization's distress over the incident. He explained that a group of extremist students had broken through walls in adjacent properties to gain unauthorized access to the synagogue. Seligson also mentioned that Lubavitch officials had attempted to gain control of the premises through the New York State court system, but the process had been ongoing for years.

The battle over the building has been ongoing between the Chabad Lubavitch movement and a group of Messianic Chasidim, two Jewish sects with differing theological beliefs. The issue was officially settled in 2006 when a judge ruled in favor of Chabad's ownership of the building. However, some members of the Messianic group continued to try to use the building, leading to the recent incident.

The synagogue will remain closed until a structural review is completed, and Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, Chairman of Chabad, has vowed to restore the sanctity of the synagogue. The incident has caused a stir on social media, with footage of the rioting and the tunnels being widely shared. The tunnels were found to contain garbage and household items, including mattresses, further adding to the intrigue surrounding the incident.