A car crash into the headquarters of Chabad Lubavitch movement in New York City has sent shockwaves through the city's Jewish community, with police launching a hate crime investigation after the incident. The vehicle, which was described as a dark-colored sedan, crashed into the rear door of the building at around 8:46 pm on Wednesday.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, officers stationed at the scene immediately responded to the commotion and arrested the driver, who's identity has not been released yet. The police bomb squad later arrived to investigate the vehicle, but found no evidence of any weapons or explosives.
The Chabad Lubavitch movement is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic organization with a global presence, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The building in New York City serves as its US headquarters and is considered a sacred site for many within the community.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the incident as "deeply alarming" and called on New Yorkers to stand against antisemitism. He stated that violence or intimidation against Jewish communities has no place in the city, echoing sentiments from the Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey.
The NYPD's Hate Crimes Unit is now investigating the incident, which happened on a major Chabad holiday, Yud Shevat, commemorating Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of the Lubavitch movement. The motive behind the crash is still unknown, but police have confirmed that it will be treated as a hate crime.
As the investigation unfolds, city officials are taking precautions to increase security at houses of worship throughout New York City, in light of this incident and out of an abundance of caution.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, officers stationed at the scene immediately responded to the commotion and arrested the driver, who's identity has not been released yet. The police bomb squad later arrived to investigate the vehicle, but found no evidence of any weapons or explosives.
The Chabad Lubavitch movement is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic organization with a global presence, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The building in New York City serves as its US headquarters and is considered a sacred site for many within the community.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the incident as "deeply alarming" and called on New Yorkers to stand against antisemitism. He stated that violence or intimidation against Jewish communities has no place in the city, echoing sentiments from the Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey.
The NYPD's Hate Crimes Unit is now investigating the incident, which happened on a major Chabad holiday, Yud Shevat, commemorating Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of the Lubavitch movement. The motive behind the crash is still unknown, but police have confirmed that it will be treated as a hate crime.
As the investigation unfolds, city officials are taking precautions to increase security at houses of worship throughout New York City, in light of this incident and out of an abundance of caution.
i'm still trying to wrap my head around a car crashing into the chabad lubavitch movement's headquarters... that's like something you'd see in the news or a movie, not real life! 
how could someone do such a thing? and now there's a hate crime investigation? it's just so... concerning 
has to be some kind of anti-semitic attack, right? 
anyways, i'm definitely keeping an eye on this situation and sending my thoughts to the jewish community 
I'm seeing so many people claiming this is just another random attack... but can we say for sure it's not a hate crime? 
The NYPD's already labeling it as one, which is kinda important to establish at the beginning. Where's the surveillance footage from the time of the incident? Is the driver's ID been released yet? I want to know more about this "dark-colored sedan" before we jump into speculating motives. 
. I mean, I don't even know the guy who did it, but come on, attacking someone's home is never right. The fact that they're looking at it as a hate crime is pretty obvious too - what kind of sick person would do something like this to an innocent building and its community? 
. security measures at houses of worship are a great idea too, you never know when these kinds of incidents might happen again 
, hate crimes need to be taken seriously and we gotta stand strong against anyone who'd try to hurt our communities. It's not just about the Chabad Lubavitch movement, it's about all Jewish people in NYC who deserve to feel safe and respected 
.
the chabad lubavitch movement is like a second family to so many people here in nyc, and for someone to intentionally try to hurt them or their property is just devastating 
it's always shocking when these kinds of incidents happen, but i guess we should take extra precautions and make sure our community feels safe 
hopefully the police can figure out what went down and bring the perpetrator to justice 
this car crash is totally senseless - what kind of hate can lead someone to harm a place of worship? 
security at places of worship is a BIG DEAL, need to prioritize that stat 
does it even make a difference who you are, as long as you're Jewish? 
NYC is supposed to be a beacon of hope and acceptance, but now I'm not so sure 
. we gotta stand together as a community and support each other, especially when things like this happen 
. lets hope this incident doesn't lead to more hate crimes 
i'm sending all my positive vibes to the jewish community right now 
. It's crazy how things have changed over the years.
? I mean, who wouldn't want to crash into a sacred site on the biggest Chabad holiday of the year? It's not like it's a big deal or anything... 
. But seriously, how's this gonna make people feel about New York City again? Like, what's next? A random attack on the Brooklyn Bridge or something 
? Can't we just have one peaceful holiday season without some drama?