Planned protest against Jewish-owned Philly restaurants draws ire, security, and feelings of unease – Inquirer.com

Planned protest against Jewish-owned Philly restaurants draws ire, security, and feelings of unease  Inquirer.com

The “Boycott Ride,” scheduled for Sunday in Rittenhouse Square, has sparked ire on social media and drawn international scrutiny. Philadelphia business leaders and elected officials are condemning a planned bike-ride protest against half a dozen eateries owned by Jewish restaurateurs, days before the cyclists are set to gather in Center City. The “Boycott Ride” has drawn ire internationally in recent days, as many have denounced the anticipated action — planned for the eve of Kristallnacht on Sunday — as antisemitic and hateful. In response, city, state, and congressional leaders have called for increased security, and Philadelphia’s Jewish community have rallied behind the businesses. “Everyone has the right to peacefully protest and express their political views,” Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L.

Parker said in a statement. “But singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish is unacceptable and has no place in our city.” It’s unclear how many people will participate in the bike ride or how the organizers plan to express their dissent. An Instagram post promoting the demonstration had about 650 likes as of Friday morning. Meanwhile, a counter, “community food crawl” has galvanized, encouraging people to patronize the targeted businesses this weekend. Philadelphia police were monitoring the protest and will “take appropriate measures to maintain public safety,” and a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Shapiro said his administration and state