Antisemitic Bike Protest in Philadelphia Draws Condemnation

State and city officials in Pennsylvania have condemned a planned bike protest in Philadelphia as antisemitic. The event, scheduled for Sunday at noon, is organized by several groups, including Philly Bike On Your Left, according to WPVI-TV. It targets a number of Jewish-owned restaurants.

Officials and critics argue that these businesses face boycotts solely because their owners are Jewish, criticizing the organizers of the ride. Governor Josh Shapiro stated on Thursday that the event, presented as a protest for justice, is a blatant display of antisemitism, intending to intimidate and force Jewish businesses out of communities.

Attorney General Dave Sunday labeled the event “unconscionable.” He pointed out that the protest is planned a day before Kristallnacht’s anniversary, a violent state-sanctioned pogrom in 1938 Germany and Austria targeting synagogues and Jewish businesses.

Ride organizers referred to a statement by a group advocating for boycotts of CookNSolo’s restaurants, citing the restaurant group’s connections with Israel’s Ministry of Tourism and hosting events for Israeli soldiers, among other reasons. Attempts to reach CookNSolo for comment were unsuccessful on Friday.

The organizers also claimed a “coordinated campaign” aims to discredit them and divert focus from their anti-genocide message. They called critics’ references to Kristallnacht “cynical.”