Car crash into headquarters of Chabad Lubavitch movement in NYC is investigated as hate crime

Police have launched a hate crime investigation after a car crashed into the New York City world headquarters of the Chabad Lubavitch movement Wednesday night.

There were no injuries in the crash, which happened around 8:46 p.m. at the building in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, police said.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers were stationed at the building when they heard a commotion in the building’s main entrance.

“When they responded, they observed a vehicle strike the rear door, reverse and strike the rear door again,” Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday night.

Officers immediately ordered the driver out of the vehicle and arrested him, she said. His name was not immediately released.

Chabad-Lubavitch is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic organization. Its building in New York City draws thousands of visitors each year, including international students and religious leaders, according to The Associated Press.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the incident and called it “deeply alarming.”

“Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable,” he said.

The Anti-Defamation League of New York and New Jersey said it was “deeply disturbed” by reports of the incident and thanked law enforcement for their response.

“This building is not only a synagogue, but also the worldwide Chabad.org Headquarters and a beloved symbol of Judaism around the world,” the group said on social media.

The incident is being investigated as a hate crime by the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Unit, Tisch said.

The incident happened on a major Chabad holiday, Yud Shevat. It commemorates the leadership of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, who was the sixth Rebbe, or teacher, of the Lubavitch movement, and marks the anniversary of his death in 1950.

Tisch said that out of an abundance of caution police would increase security at houses of worship throughout the city.

The police bomb squad was called and went over the vehicle, and nothing was found, Tisch said. She also said she was unaware of any information that any weapons were recovered.

“We’re still very early in this investigation,” she said.

Chabad-Lubavitch is a movement that began 250 years ago in Russia. It has 3,500 institutions worldwide in 100 countries or other territories, it says on its website.