Amid major community pressure, police have officially and indefinitely closed the service lane by 770, marking an indefinite closure of the block, which has remained shut since the ramming attack on Yud Shevat.

On Yud Shevat (Jan. 28), Dan Sohail drove to 770 Eastern Parkway, packed with thousands of bochurim, locals, and guests from around the world. He moved protective barriers and rammed the building’s entrance multiple times, knocking the door off its hinges. Miraculously, no one was injured.

The attack drew widespread media attention to 770’s significance and the day’s importance. Police feared a possible explosive device, evacuating 770 and the surrounding area, while farbrengens continued elsewhere until early morning.

Sohail was arrested at the scene, charged with multiple hate crimes, and later taken into federal custody.

“Americans should be free to practice their faith without fearing defacement of their sacred places,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship, and will vigorously prosecute those who carry them out.”

Since the attack, there has been significant pressure on authorities to implement protective perimeters near shuls and other Jewish institutions. Early warnings to the new Mamdani administration requested the installation of bollards and physical barriers at high-risk sites.

Mayor Zoharan Mamdani, on his first day in office, abolished an executive order from former Mayor Eric Adams that would have mandated protective buffer zones around shuls and yeshivos.

Currently, a revised City Council bill (Intro 0001‑2026) is pending. The bill asks the NYPD to create flexible, case-by-case response plans using barricades whenever there is a credible risk of intimidation at a house of worship. However, Mayor Mamdani has not committed to signing the bill, claiming he is reviewing its “legality,” while progressive allies protest the measure outside City Hall.

The administration argues that establishing flexible perimeters might violate free speech rights. The bill has since been modified so that the NYPD would set perimeters on a case-by-case basis rather than a fixed distance.

“The FBI and the NYPD will continue to protect our community’s religious institutions to ensure a safe place for all worshippers,” said Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle of the FBI New York Field Office.