Man Charged for Repeatedly Ramming Doors of NYC Jewish Site

Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 1:07pm

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A man was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly repeatedly rammed a vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York City. There were no apparent injuries, but the doors were damaged. The vehicle was inspected by the NYPD bomb squad, and no explosives were found. The driver shouted to bystanders that 'it slipped' and said something to police about attempting to park.

Why it matters

The incident is being investigated as a hate crime, as any threat to a Jewish institution or place of worship must be taken seriously. Antisemitism and violence against Jewish New Yorkers are unacceptable.

The details

According to reports, the driver repeatedly rammed the vehicle into the doors of the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in New York City's Crown Heights neighborhood. The NYPD and Lubavitch spokespeople confirmed there were no apparent injuries, although the doors were damaged. The vehicle was inspected by the NYPD bomb squad, and no explosives were found. The driver allegedly shouted to bystanders that 'it slipped' and said something to police about attempting to park.

  • The incident occurred on Wednesday, January 29, 2026.

The players

New York City Police Department (NYPD)

The local law enforcement agency investigating the incident.

Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters

The Jewish institution that was the target of the alleged attack.

Zohran Mamdani

The Socialist Muslim mayor of New York City, who called the incident 'deeply alarming' and said that antisemitism and violence against Jewish New Yorkers are unacceptable.

Harmeet Dhillon

The Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, who opened a civil rights investigation into the crash.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (X)

“I have instructed our criminal prosecutors in @CivilRights to open a civil rights investigation into this violent attack.”

— Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights (X)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the driver out on bail.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing threat of antisemitism and the need for vigilance in protecting Jewish institutions and communities from violence and intimidation. It underscores the importance of law enforcement and government officials taking such threats seriously and responding swiftly to address them.