Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy erupted in outrage after a shocking antisemitic sign reading “F-k the Jews” was displayed during bottle service at his Barstool Sansom Street bar in Philadelphia. The incident, which quickly went viral on social media, sparked national condemnation and immediate action from Portnoy, himself a member of the Jewish community.
We are past the point when they pretend by saying “Zionists”pic.twitter.com/sLsUE9bbJb
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) May 5, 2025
Portnoy responded forcefully, firing the staff involved and launching an investigation in cooperation with Philadelphia police and the Anti-Defamation League. He revealed that two young patrons, reportedly including a Temple University student (now suspended), had ordered the sign as part of a bottle service package. Rather than “ruining the lives” of the offenders, Portnoy decided on a different path: he is sending both individuals to Auschwitz, at his own expense, to learn firsthand about the consequences of antisemitism.
“Do you think I’m going to tolerate this s-t in my bar?” Portnoy declared in a video posted to social media, emphasizing that hate has no place at Barstool or anywhere else. “Perhaps I can turn this into a teaching opportunity… to use this ugly incident as a chance to educate,” he explained, adding, “I’ve experienced more antisemitism in the last year and a half than ever before”.
Barstool Sansom Street released a statement condemning the incident and reaffirming its commitment to fighting all forms of discrimination: “We take all forms of discrimination incredibly seriously and are particularly upset by the actions taken against our Jewish patrons, colleagues, partners, and friends… This unfortunate incident is the opposite of what we stand for, and we will be doubling down on efforts to prevent such actions in the future.”
The swift and decisive response from Portnoy and Barstool stands as a model of zero tolerance for Jew-hatred. As antisemitism surges across North America, the Jewish and Zionist community is demanding that more leaders show the same moral clarity, accountability, and commitment to real education.