Part of the reason why Chabad generated so much controversy is because they insist on inserting themselves everywhere. Including where they clearly aren’t wanted .e.g. Other groups don’t advertise their leaders yartzeit in publications read primally by non members and opponents. Of course the message in the publications meant for outsiders is very different from what is said in venues intended for internal consumption….
As a secular historian who got it very right about Chabad put it . In the 1950s Chabad developed an attitude of being accountable only to Rebbe. They were willing to do things over such vehement opposition of other groups that no other Orthodox group would ignore. As time went on this led to serious problems among the movement, most serious of which was the borderline deification of their rebbe.
My father still remembers how in the 1950s some of the elderly Chabad Chasidim who he knew and still respects, strongly denied Chabad would go down the messianic route .