Supporters Line Up at Jewish-Owned Philadelphia Restaurants During Boycott Ride

Supporters lined up at Jewish-owned restaurants in Philadelphia on Sunday, November 8, as a bicycle boycott targeting six businesses drew a large counter-demonstration around Rittenhouse Square. Hundreds came to support restaurants singled out by organizers, including establishments owned by Israeli-American chef Michael Solomonov. Queues extended along surrounding streets. Philly Bike On Your Left organized the ride. Its promotional flyer called the restaurants “Zionist establishments” and demanded that they leave the city. At Huda, one of the targeted businesses, a restaurant partner said demand was so strong that there might not be enough food for everyone waiting. He encouraged customers to visit on other days too. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker condemned the boycott in advance. Shapiro said it sought to intimidate Jewish businesses and drive them from their communities. Parker said she had instructed the police commissioner to work with community partners to protect businesses and houses of worship while safeguarding peaceful demonstrators’ constitutional rights. The boycott organizers called themselves nonviolent and said criticism had misrepresented their campaign. They denied deliberately timing the event around the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Nazi anti-Jewish pogrom of November 9–10, 1938. Another bicycle demonstration was reportedly being promoted for November 15.