Philadelphia Protest Draws Countercrowd as Smerconish Rejects Antisemitic Slur
WHO:
CNN - Philly Bike On Your Left organized the bicycle “boycott ride” and described itself as “anti-Zionist.”
CNN - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker condemned the planned ride. Parker said singling out businesses because their owners are Jewish “is unacceptable and has no place in our city.”
CNN - JewBelong, a nonprofit, put up billboards opposing the ride.
CNN - The Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America criticized politicians’ “conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism.”
Yahoo - CNN host Michael Smerconish discussed the ride and read a social media statement by Sen. John Fetterman.
Yahoo - Fetterman described the riders as “Hamas lovin’, Jew-hating sh*theads on wheels.”
WHAT:
Yahoo - Smerconish said the counterprotesters would outnumber the riders and added, “One can hope.”
Yahoo - The article described Kristallnacht as a night when Jewish businesses and synagogues in Germany were burned and tens of thousands of people were taken to concentration camps.
CNN - Philly Bike On Your Left’s original Instagram post described the targeted business owners as “disgusting humans.”
CNN - A bicycle ride targeting several Jewish-owned Philadelphia businesses began amid a large police presence and what appeared to be hundreds of counterprotesters. Some verbal confrontations occurred.
CNN - Counterprotesters waved Israeli flags and held signs condemning antisemitism.
CNN - JewBelong posted more than a dozen billboards in the Philadelphia area. One read, “Running over Jewish businesses isn’t a peace plan,” according to CNN affiliate WPVI.
CNN - The Anti-Defamation League reported 106 antisemitic incidents in Philadelphia in 2025 and said US incidents remained far above pre-2023 levels after reaching a record in 2024.
Yahoo - A flyer for the ride listed multiple Jewish-owned businesses, including a mac and cheese shop and a deli, and crossed out their names; organizers said “zionist establishments must go.”
Yahoo - Smerconish said the First Amendment protects “plenty of ugly speech” and that, although the law may allow the ride, others need not remain quiet. He predicted counterprotesters would outnumber riders.
Yahoo - Smerconish displayed Fetterman’s comment and said, “Do I need to read it? I’m happy to read it, but there it is from Sen. Fetterman. Thank you, senator.”
WHERE:
CNN - The ride took place in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse neighborhood, where the targeted businesses were scattered across several blocks.
CNN - Shapiro’s office said the ride was intended to intimidate Jewish businesses and drive them out of their communities.
WHEN:
CNN - The ride took place the day before the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht.
WHY:
CNN - The Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America said Jewish businesses and shops belong in Philadelphia and argued that challenging “the violence of Zionist ideology” does not diminish Jewish safety and belonging.
CNN - Philly Bike On Your Left said it called for a boycott because the businesses’ owners supported Israel; it denied antisemitism and said it opposed racism and oppression.
Yahoo - Smerconish questioned the organizers’ focus on a deli, asking what “a pastrami sandwich has to do with Gaza.”
HOW:
Yahoo - Smerconish described the ride as “some of the ugliest” speech he had seen and said, “I’m not asking anybody to stop them.”
Yahoo - Smerconish said, “As one local jewish leader put it, the only thing these owners have in common is that they're jewish.”
CNN - Organizers promoted the ride on Instagram and named targeted businesses; counterprotesters gathered along both sides of the street.
Yahoo - Smerconish avoided saying Fetterman’s insult aloud, though he showed it on screen.
(UPDATED November 9, 2026 02:04 UTC)
A bicycle ride targeting Jewish-owned Philadelphia businesses drew hundreds of counterprotesters and heavy police presence. Organizers said the businesses’ owners supported Israel. Officials condemned the ride as intimidation, while counterprotesters waved Israeli flags.
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(UPDATED November 9, 2026 01:05 UTC)
A bicycle ride targeting Jewish-owned Philadelphia businesses drew hundreds of counterprotesters and heavy police presence. Organizers said they opposed the businesses’ support for Israel. Officials condemned the ride as intimidation; counterprotesters denounced antisemitism.
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(UPDATED November 8, 2026 18:58 UTC)
A bicycle ride targeting Jewish-owned Philadelphia businesses drew counterprotesters and heavy police presence. Organizers cited the businesses’ support for Israel and denied antisemitism. The governor and mayor condemned the targeting of Jewish businesses.