A major demonstration unfolded late Motzei Shabbos outside the Lakewood Police Department headquarters, as hundreds of community members – including the BMG roshei yeshiva – rallied in support of R’ Binyomin Kubani, a respected yungerman and father of eight who was arrested on Thursday under deeply troubling circumstances.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the Lakewood kehilla, with many accusing the police of acting recklessly, ignoring basic investigative protocol, and in general showing an increasing disregard for the overwhelmingly Orthodox Jewish population of Lakewood.
The controversy began when R’ Binyomin, who learns in BMG, stopped at a Route 88 car wash with his child after discovering leftover meat had leaked in his van from the previous Shabbos. He hoped to hire a day worker — as is common practice across Lakewood — to help clean the carpets. According to multiple witnesses, he approached a 15-year-old Hispanic youth he had previously hired around Erev Pesach for a similar job. He asked if the boy wanted to come to his house later to clean the van.
Instead of agreeing, the boy took a picture of R’ Binyomin, flagged down a passing Lakewood police patrol car, and claimed he had been “solicited.” Police immediately took the teen to headquarters for a statement, and, without interviewing R’ Binyomin or allowing him to present any explanation or evidence, arrested him and booked him into the Ocean County jail in Toms River. He remains held there, awaiting a court appearance that may only take place Tuesday.
Police in these situations typically interview both parties and attempt to establish a timeline of facts before making an arrest. Yet R’ Binyomin was denied the opportunity to make any statement or show supporting proof, even though he had an attorney present, sources told Lakewood Alerts.
Frustration with the Lakewood Police Department erupted into public anger on Motzei Shabbos, with protestors demanding the release of the yungerman.
Lakewood Alerts has confirmed through reliable sources that there is already discussion at the township level of a leadership shake-up at the police department, as confidence in current command staff has cratered.
Lakewood Alerts previously reported that the police chief had recently suffered a health emergency while away on vacation and had to be flown back by emergency medical helicopter — a detail the department tried to keep under wraps, and that on-duty Lakewood police officers have been sending a local news outlet photos from accidents and crime scenes, which is illegal.
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23 Responses
This is a new trend with immigrants attempting to secure a U Visa for themselves (which allows them to stay in the US legally by claiming to be a victim).
More info on U Visa:
https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-of-criminal-activity-u-nonimmigrant-status
Lakewood people need to wake up. Lakewood is not our home. Its galus. This idea that has become Lakewood is where jews belong needs to end. We belong home in eretz yisroel.
solicited for what?
Can he sue the Police department and officers involved?
Who goes to a carwash to specifically ask a child to come wash their car at their house? Hire him to do it there on the spot or, Chas vchalilah, pay one of your own kids to do it. At the very least it was poor judgement and reflects badly on the community.
Good morning, it is very possible that the teen wants to.make a case for a UVisa. Anyone familiar with the immigration climate would understand.
Immigrants are desperate for an immigration benefit. If you are victim.of a crime and help the police you can waive your inadmissibility. It is very possible that it was the ulterior motive of the child. Someone familiar with the case should point it out. Although it seems farfetched. It is more and more commun considering the fear of the immigrants to be arrested by ICE. A lawyer should investigate if the teen will file for a Uvisa.
This seems like a textbook arrest similar to what takes place 1000s of times every day across the country. They had a statement from a complaining witness and enough to procur an arrest warrant. This is how our justice system works. It’s not perfect, but this is what we live under. No reason for protest. Did anyone think of the possibility that the charges are true? How about we let the system do its job? Or are we saying that even if this BMG yungerman is guilty we should just let him go?
I would like to see the full police report first, but asking a 15 year old on the street to come to your house to clean your carpets is very, very strange. If this wouldn’t have happened in Lakewood, I would have presumed criminal intent simply because the request is so strange, so I understand where the police are coming from. But I do think that the defendant was that culturally illiterate that he didn’t realize how insane he sounded, and there was no criminal intent.
Forgive me for my sharp words & comments , howerver what I am about to say ,were told to me just last week by my Rebbe Shilta , regarding the Matzav in NYC . ” In Lakewood there is no sign of Galus ” The comment shock me to the core . And for those of you who question who my Rebbe Shilta is ….Respected & renowned world wide .Please don’t shoot me for this comment …wake up …me included
what was r’ binyomin’s lawyer doing throughout all this? he/she/it was there, presumably with the meter running, so why is r’ binyomin still in jail? perhaps r’ binyomin needs a new lawyer…
Whatever his intent was, this nitwit now screwed it up for the test of the immigration community as nobody in their right mind will offer them work any more. Great job!
Did any investigative Jewish News media try to get a statement from the Police Department?
Individuals who are alleged to have committed a non-violent crime should be fitted with a tracking device not jailed!
Please be aware that illegal cleaning ladies make up these stories as well. It has already happened. Many illegals also literally hurt themselves to be able to sue their employers for on site accidents and also deliberately cause car accidents. Apparently, s–ual abuse is a new shtick they came up with to get money out of their victims.
Where are all the Lakewood machers and politicians. You have got to get every 18 yo registered to vote and elect the right candidates.
The time has arrived to begin torching police cars & burning down the precinct, if this innocent man is not released immediately. This is probably only language these filthy wicked evil police comprehend.
147; Big talker, let’s see you do that in Israel after they do their routine police brutality!
There is a protest rally actually called for 2 pm at the police station. You need to remove the captain. You need to have large protests and maybe start a campaign how these police are racist.
Is police chief Gregory Meyer responsible for this?
Chief Gregory H. Meyer
Chief of Police
732-363-0200 x5358
[email protected]
@uncle Ben….
Reminder that when you protest in Israel you have to call the police officers Nazi as well. Try that in the Lakewood golus and see how that works out for you.
For all those using this incident as an excuse that we don’t belong in Lakewood and trying to drum up business for Aliyah, if I’m not mistaken the Yeshiva community in Israel is currently facing criminal sanction by their own fellow Jews and are planning Mass arrests. Should we still move?
Why nothing on TLS?
Sorry, but as others have noted, its NOT normal for a adult to be retaining a 15 yo at a car wash to come to his home to clean his car. He was already at the car wash and could have left his car there for a full detailing rather than creating this stupid incident which the police are over-reacting to.