An antisemitic incident occurred on May 3, 2025, at the Barstool Sports bar located on Sansom Street in Philadelphia, where a waitress held up a sign reading "F--- the Jews," which was captured on video and widely shared on social media
. The incident involved patrons, including at least one Temple University student, who was subsequently suspended by the university pending investigation
. Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports and owner of the bar, publicly condemned the incident in an emergency press conference. He stated that the two waitresses responsible for displaying the sign were fired and initially offered to send those involved on an educational trip to Auschwitz to learn about the Holocaust, intending it as a "teaching moment"
. However, Portnoy later retracted the offer to send the student on the Auschwitz trip
. Philadelphia police investigated the incident as a hate crime but did not immediately file charges
. Temple University President John Fry called antisemitism "abhorrent" and emphasized that such behavior has no place at the university, warning that any other students found involved would face strict disciplinary actions, including possible expulsion
. The bar issued a statement expressing embarrassment and frustration over the incident, noting that employees acted against the organization’s discrimination policies by complying with the customer's request for the offensive sign
. The incident sparked significant public backlash and discussions about antisemitism, education, and accountability within the community and among the university's students.
