Crowds pack Jewish businesses in Philadelphia during boycott ride

Activists planned a bicycle rally to boycott Jewish-owned businesses in downtown Philadelphia on Sunday, but the event drew a larger crowd of supporters for those shops than for the riders themselves. The six targeted establishments included Mac Mart, K’Far Café, Huda, Goldie, Dizengoff, and Schlesinger’s Delicatessen. Organizers labeled these shops as Zionist establishments, a claim that sparked immediate backlash from local residents and visitors.

Tension built for 30 minutes before the ride began, with masked cyclists and counterprotesters standing in close proximity. Police deployed a heavy presence in Rittenhouse Square, though scuffles still broke out between the two groups. Counterprotesters directed shouts at the masked riders, with some demanding they show their faces. The activists rode from one business to the next for between 60 and 90 minutes, chanting a slogan that called for an intifada revolution.

The numbers on the ground favored the supporters of the restaurants. While dozens of riders and marchers participated in the boycott ride, hundreds of counterprotesters formed a barrier between the cyclists and the eateries. Three people were taken into custody during the event. A woman was charged with assault, a man with disorderly conduct, and a 17-year-old with assaulting a police officer.

The businesses saw a surge in customers rather than a drop in revenue. Lunchtime lines extended out the doors of all six locations. One visitor from New York reported two-hour waits at each restaurant and said he could not get inside any of them. Staff at Schlesinger’s told the waiting crowd that they had run out of capacity to take additional takeout orders. The New York Times reported that the staff had to turn away customers due to the overwhelming demand.

Marti Lieberman, who owns Mac Mart, said the police presence was substantial and friendly. She noted that 15 officers stood outside her kiosk at one point, engaging in conversation and eating food. Lieberman described the supporters as people of every nationality and religion. She said she received calls from customers in Australia and the United Kingdom. She added that she had never seen such a reaction to her business before.

Lieberman said she was targeted because she wears a Star of David in her social media videos. She stated that she has never mixed religion or politics with her food service business. She began selling food to college students in 2013 and described herself as a Jewish girl from the suburbs. She criticized the activists for bullying businesses without asking owners about their personal views.

Philly Bike On Your Left, a cosponsor of the ride, posted a statement on Instagram claiming the event was grossly misrepresented. The group said it stands against racism, fascism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and colonialism. One unmasked rider told CBS News that he attends Shabbat services and considers himself a proud Jew. He said the timing of the event near the anniversary of Kristallnacht was unfortunate, though organizers said the date was not symbolic.

Other cosponsors included Penn Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine and Writers Against the War in Gaza. The Philadelphia chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement disavowing the event. Lieberman concluded by saying the group is walking away from the incident with a positive outlook and a large base of new supporters.