antisemitic Message at Barstool Bar Sparks Outrage, Suspension
PHILADELPHIA — An antisemitic message displayed at Barstool Sansom Street, a bar owned by Barstool Sports Founder Dave portnoy, has ignited a firestorm of controversy.The incident has led to the suspension of a Temple University student allegedly involved.
Portnoy’s Reaction: “I’ve Been Shaking”
Mr. Portnoy expressed his distress upon discovering the offensive sign, which was reportedly ordered with bottle service. He addressed the situation in what he termed an emergency press conference
on social media, stating, I’m trying to keep it together, but I’m on it.
Did you know? antisemitism, hostility to or prejudice against Jewish people, has a long and tragic history, with roots stretching back centuries. Modern manifestations frequently enough include conspiracy theories, hate speech, and acts of violence.
Community leaders Respond
rabbi David Kushner, a chaplain with the Philadelphia Police Department, confirmed that Mr.Portnoy contacted him and was deeply affected by the incident. He did reach out and he is distraught,
Rabbi Kushner stated.
John Fry, president of Temple University, issued a statement asserting that the incident does not reflect the values of the Temple community. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia also condemned the act. Robin Schatz, director of government affairs, said, It was shocking. We spend our days, my colleagues and I, in the Jewish community relations counsel working fighting against antisemitism.
Temple university Takes Action
Following online identification of the alleged offenders as Temple University students, the university has placed one student on interim suspension. This action underscores the seriousness with which the university is treating the incident.
Pro tip: Reporting hate incidents is crucial. Organizations like the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) and the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law center) provide resources and support for victims and can help track and combat hate crimes.
Portnoy’s Proposed Response: A “Teaching Moment”
Mr. Portnoy has communicated with the patrons involved and proposed a unique response aimed at education. We’re going to send these kids to Auschwitz and they’re going to do a tour of the concentration camps in Germany, and hopefully learn something and hopefully they think twice, and more importantly other people see it’s not like words you’re throwing around. To me that’s a fair outcome of this event,
he stated.
consequences for Employees
Mr. Portnoy confirmed that the servers who complied with the request to create the antisemitic sign have been terminated.
Ongoing Investigations
The Philadelphia Police Department is currently investigating the matter, and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is also conducting its own inquiry.
barstool Sansom St. Responds
Barstool Sansom St. released a statement on social media addressing the incident:
We take all forms of discrimination incredibly seriously and are notably upset by the actions taken against our Jewish patrons, colleagues, partners and friends… This unfortunate incident is the opposite of what we stand for, and we will be doubling down on efforts to prevent such actions in the future.
