Philadelphia bicycle boycott of Jewish-owned businesses draws counterprotesters

A bicycle boycott organized by the group Philly Bike On Your Left targeted several Jewish-owned restaurants in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood on Sunday. The group, which describes itself as an anti-Zionist social cycling collective, identified establishments including Mac Mart, K’Far Café, Huda, Goldie, Schlesinger’s Deli, and Dizengoff as targets due to the owners’ support for Israel.

The demonstration, held on the eve of the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, drew hundreds of counterprotesters who organized a community food crawl to support the businesses. While the boycott aimed to pressure the establishments, reports indicate that the restaurants saw long lines of customers instead.

Clashes occurred between the two groups, leading to at least three arrests: a woman on an assault charge, a man for disorderly conduct, and a 17-year-old for assault on police. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Attorney General Dave Sunday all condemned the boycott, characterizing it as an attempt to intimidate the Jewish community.