A car rammed into the Chabad headquarters in New York City on Wednesday night, damaging the doors of the center in Brooklyn.
There were no injuries, and the driver of the vehicle was arrested; his motivations remain unclear at this time.
The ramming took place on one of Chabad's most significant holidays, the tenth of Shvat, in which tens of thousands of Jews had come to Chabad headquarters to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Rebbe's leadership.
Yaacov Behrman, head of public relations at the headquarters, stated that the synagogue inside the building, commonly referred to as "770" due to its street address, was evacuated as a precaution.
Chabad: Ramming 'appears intentional'
"Witnesses report the driver yelled for people to move as he drove in. It appears intentional," Behrman wrote on X/Twitter.
Behrman also called on people to stay away from the area.
In response, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani commented on the incident, stating that the crash was "intentional."
"This is deeply alarming, especially given the deep meaning and history of the institution to so many in New York and around the world. Any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism has no place in our city, and violence or intimidation against Jewish New Yorkers is unacceptable," Mamdani wrote on X.
"I stand in solidarity with the Crown Heights Jewish community," he wrote, also noting that he was "relieved that no one was injured in this horrifying incident."
Additionally, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul posted on Twitter/X to note that this is the second day in a row that there has been an antisemitic attack against Jewish New Yorkers.
"An attack against the Jewish community is an attack against all New Yorkers," Hochul stated.
Subsequently, New York City Comptroller Mark D. Levine referred to it as a "frightening incident at one of our city’s most iconic Jewish institutions."
Levine also praised the New York Police Department for quickly detaining the suspect.
Levine noted that the incident occurred towards the end of "Yud Shvat," a date in the Jewish calendar marking the 10th day of the month of Shvat. The date is notable for the Chabad community as it marks the anniversary of the passing of the 6th Lubavitcher Rebbe (Grand Rabbi) Yosef Yitzhak Schneerson in 1950, and when the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson officially accepted the role as leader of the movement one year later in 1951.
This is a developing story.