A planned boycott of Jewish-owned restaurants in Philadelphia turned into a resounding show of solidarity Sunday, as hundreds of counterprotesters and customers flooded the targeted businesses, overwhelming the demonstrators and setting record sales.
Bike Protest Meets Backlash
Pro-Palestinian activists from Philly Bike On Your Left and allied groups organized a bicycle protest aimed at several Jewish and Israeli-owned restaurants in Rittenhouse Square, including Mac Mart, Goldie, and Schlesinger’s Deli. Flyers distributed by the group accused the businesses of supporting Zionism and labeled their owners “disgusting humans.” Police estimated around 200 cyclists participated, with total protesters numbering close to 300.
But the demonstration was quickly drowned out by a much larger crowd of supporters who turned out in force. Lines stretched around the block as customers waited up to 90 minutes for food, waving Israeli flags and shouting down the protesters with chants like, “This is America, not Nazi Germany!” and “Shame!”
Jewish Community Rallies
Jewish organizations had mobilized ahead of the protest, urging supporters to patronize the targeted restaurants. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia encouraged a “food crawl,” while local synagoges placed large group orders. Billboards from JewBelong declared, “Boycott the boycott ride.”
Restaurant owners expressed gratitude for the overwhelming response. “It’s pretty personal to me,” said Yehuda Sichel, owner of Huda, whose grandfather survived Kristallnacht. “People singling out Jewish businesses, using Zionism as a euphemism to attack Jewish people—it’s not okay.”
Kristallnacht Parallels Draw Outrage
The timing of the protest, on the eve of the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, added to the backlash. The 1938 Nazi pogrom saw the destruction of thousands of Jewish businesses and marked a turning point toward the Holocaust. Many saw the boycott attempt as an eerie echo of that history.
Instead of driving customers away, the protest had the opposite effect. “This is the biggest bust imaginable,” joked one New Yorker who drove to Philadelphia to show support. By day’s end, the restaurants reported record sales, and three protesters were arrested amid heated exchanges.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/jewish-restaurant-boycott-gets-served-a-supersized-helping-of-backfire