PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pro-Palestinian protesters hit the streets of Center City Sunday night, and actions outside of a Jewish-Israeli-owned restaurant caught the attention of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who said it was a “blatant act of antisemitism.”
The Philadelphia Free Palestine Coalition called the event “Flood Philly for Gaza.” On the group's Facebook page, an announcement of the rally reads, "A temporary pause is not what we asked for, we demand a complete end to the siege on Gaza and an end to the U.S complicity with Israel."
According to the Philadelphia Police Department, 400 to 500 people gathered at Rittenhouse Square, where the demonstration started. Protesters made their way to University City, leaving their mark on several businesses along the way.
At one point, protesters stopped in front of falafel restaurant Goldie, on Sansom Street in Rittenhouse Square. It’s one of the restaurants owned by chef Michael Solomonov and his business CookNSolo, known for the world-renowned Israeli restaurant Zahav.
A short video posted to social media by Jordan Van Glish showed protesters outside Goldie chanting and accusing the restaurant of “genocide.”
“I don’t usually record those things, and I’m all for exercising your freedom of speech and assembly, but when they stopped outside of the Goldie I thought it was an interesting place to stop," Van Glish said.
“It is an Israeli restaurant that serves Israeli food like falafel but I do think in terms of protesting — if you are gonna protest for Palestine, I feel like going to City Hall or somewhere that has a political influence would be more useful.”
Shapiro saw the video and posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying “Tonight in Philly we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest.”
He says the restaurant “was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli. This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history.”
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said, "it is antisemitic and completely unjustifiable to target restaurants that serve Israeli food over disagreements with Israeli policy, as Gov. Shapiro has underlined."
"This behavior reveals the kind of cruel and senseless double standard that is a calling card of antisemitism."
The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia issued a statement condemning the group's targeting of Goldie solely because of their Jewish and Israeli ownership, saying, in part: "As we have said before, this tactic only serves to intimidate, isolate, and scapegoat Israeli and Jewish businesses, further contributing to the alarming levels of hate against Jews nationwide.”
Shapiro said he was in contact with Solomonov and his team. CookNSolo declined to comment on the protest.
Shortly after the war between Hamas and Israel began in October, CookNSolo donated proceeds to a nonprofit that provided emergency medical care on the ground in Israel.
Other targeted businesses included a TD Bank on the 3700 block of Walnut Street and a Starbucks on the 3400 block of Walnut Street, according to police. A police car at 18th and Walnut streets was vandalized. Philly police and the University of Pennsylvania Police Department said Monday they are reviewing surveillance video and investigating the incidents.