The Orange County Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel has released a statement rejecting the claims in a new federal lawsuit threatening to shut down the village.

The statement calls the people behind the lawsuit, which alleges misconduct and religious discrimination by village leaders, a "small group of discontented person."

The small village has been under fire since Monday after Michael Sussman, a high-profile civil rights attorney, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Joseph Waldman and other residents, who pray outside the main congregation and call themselves the Dissidents.

The Dissidents have given News 12 Hudson Valley video that they say is their temple being demolished and protesters being arrested. It is one of the incidents highlighted in their lawsuit to demonstrate the alleged abuse by local officials.

Another lawsuit seeks to shut down Kiryas JoelKiryas Joel community split over synagogue