Philadelphia officials condemn planned Sunday bike ride targeting six Jewish-owned restaurants
The group behind the ride, Philly Bike On Your Left, says it targets owners' support for Israel, not their religion, and calls its campaign "grossly misrepresented."
A group called Philly Bike On Your Left planned a bike ride on Sunday, Nov. 8, around Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, aimed at six businesses owned by Jewish people. The ride was set to start at noon. The flyer names Mac Mart, K'Far Café, Huda, Goldie, Schlesinger's and Dizengoff and says "These Zionist establishments must go."
The group says it picked the businesses over what it sees as the owners' backing of Israel, and that their faith was not the reason. It says the campaign was "grossly misrepresented." Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration called the ride "blatant antisemitism."
Mayor Cherelle Parker said singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish is "unacceptable," and she directed police to coordinate on safety. Pennsylvania Dave Sunday said the ride singles out people for their Jewish identity. Sen. John Fetterman also condemned it.
The ride takes place a day ahead of Kristallnacht's 88th anniversary, the 1938 Nazi assaults on Jewish communities. Organizers say the timing is coincidental. According to Newsweek, the nonprofit JewBelong put up 14 billboards urging residents to boycott the ride, and some targeted businesses plan to open Sunday.
Mac Mart co-owner Marti Lieberman told the New York Post that her business is unconnected to Israel.
- 14 billboardsput up across Philadelphia by JewBelong urging residents to "boycott the boycott"Newsweek
- six Jewish-owned restaurantsbusinesses targeted by the Sunday ride, per NewsweekNewsweek
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Liberal3 outlets
Outlets on the left gave this story little coverage.
Center4 outlets
Officials and businesses respond to planned boycott ride
Newsweek leads with JewBelong's 14 billboards urging Philadelphians to "boycott the boycott" and quotes co-founder Archie Gottesman. It also gives the organizers' statement that the boycott is "because of their support for Israel," and reports that the organizers have not publicly backed every one of the six choices with a consistent standard or with evidence about that business. It notes Lieberman's account and the owners who plan to open Sunday.
Deseret News opens with the flyer's wording and the groups behind the ride, then quotes Shapiro, Parker, Sen. Jacky Rosen and Attorney General Sunday. It reports that the organizers did not answer requests for comment and quotes a Boycott CookNSolo statement saying such businesses "will die with it." It adds Anti-Defamation League data on antisemitic incidents.
A Journal opinion piece titled "The Antisemitic Philadelphia Bike Gang" argues that the tax-exempt Democratic Socialists of America may be violating rules by joining what it calls an effort to harass Zionist restaurants.
- Newsweek: Philadelphia Billboards Target Boycott of Jewish Owned Businesses
- Deseret News: Planned Sunday boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia sparks condemnation
- The Wall Street Journal: Opinion | The Antisemitic Philadelphia Bike Gang (opinion)
Conservative10 outlets
Condemnation of a ride targeting Jewish-owned businesses
The Blaze leads with the organizer's statement that "Zionist" businesses should leave the city, and its headline calls the ride an "Antifa" bike ride. It quotes Parker and Fetterman and reports that some businesses will stay open. The Washington Examiner headlines Fetterman's X post and quotes him calling the ride a "sick parade of rank antisemitism."
It adds Shapiro's statement through his spokesperson. The New York Post opens with Parker's statement that hate "has no place in our city," and quotes Mac Mart co-owner Marti Lieberman calling the messaging "scary." RedState ties the ride to the Democratic Socialists, whom it calls "the new overlords of the Democratic Party."
It also cites Attorney General Sunday's office and the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
- The Blaze: Antifa bike ride targets Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia — on eve of Kristallnacht anniversary
- Washington Examiner: Fetterman lashes out over bike boycott of Jewish businesses: ‘A**holes-on-wheels’
- New York Post: Philadelphia mayor slams ‘unacceptable’ protest against Jewish-owned shops on Nazi terror anniversary
- RedState: Here We Go Again: Philly 'Boycott Ride' Targets Jewish Businesses Over Alleged Support of Israel
- Centrist outlets did not mentionSen. John Fetterman's condemnation of the ride Reported by Washington Examiner, The Blaze
- Conservative outlets did not mentionJewBelong's 14 "boycott the boycott" billboards Reported by Newsweek
Which side made the stronger case?
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All sources: 24 articles from 17 outlets
Liberal (3)
- CBS News: Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters clash in streets of Philadelphia
- The Boston Globe: Diners support Jewish-owned eateries in Philadelphia after boycott call
Center (5)
- Deseret News: Counterprotesters overwhelm activists targeting Jewish businesses Sunday
- Deseret News: Planned Sunday boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia sparks condemnation
- Newsweek: Philadelphia Billboards Target Boycott of Jewish Owned Businesses
- The Hill: Hundreds gather in Philadelphia for Pro-Palestinian demonstration and counterprotest
- The Wall Street Journal: Opinion | The Antisemitic Philadelphia Bike Gang (opinion)
Conservative (16)
- Breitbart News: Philadelphia: Boycott of Jewish Businesses Fails After Drawing Intense Backlash
- Fox News: Tensions flare as demonstrators target Jewish restaurants, drawing massive counterprotest
- New York Post: Philly DSA claims backlash to Jewish business boycott is ‘repression’
- New York Post: Philly ‘Kristallnacht’ protests at Jewish-owned businesses drowned out, shouted down by huge crowds
- New York Post: Philadelphia mayor slams ‘unacceptable’ protest against Jewish-owned shops on Nazi terror anniversary
- New York Post: Chilling Philadelphia protest on Nazi terror anniversary demands Jewish-owned shops leave city
- RedState: Gotta Love It: Leftist Philly Bike Ride Boycott Against 'Zionist' Businesses Backfires Big Time
- RedState: Here We Go Again: Philly 'Boycott Ride' Targets Jewish Businesses Over Alleged Support of Israel
- The Blaze: Antifa bike ride targets Jewish-owned businesses in Philadelphia — on eve of Kristallnacht anniversary
- The Center Square: Bipartisan condemnation floods Israel and Palestine protests in Philadelphia
- The Daily Wire: Jewish Restaurant Boycott Gets Served A Supersized Helping Of Backfire
- The Post Millennial: Counterprotestors confront leftist agitators staging bike boycott of Philly Jewish shops in Center City
- The Post Millennial: Philly leftists boycott Jewish shops, restaurants in Center City over Zionism
- Townhall: Crowds Showed Up to Shout Down the Anti-Jewish Philly Bike Protest Yesterday and the DSA Is Angry
- Townhall: That Didn't Take Long: Jewish Businesses in Philly Targeted Ahead of Nazi Kristallnacht Protest
- Washington Examiner: Fetterman lashes out over bike boycott of Jewish businesses: ‘A**holes-on-wheels’
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