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Monday, November 09, 2026

An Anti-Semitic Bike Boycott in Philly

Just a few weeks ago, my grandson and I were in Philly for its annual bike ride event, a 20-mile car-free ride through all of the city's neighborhoods. No matter where we went that weekend, it was on two wheels in a very bike-friendly city. We even went to Vietnamese restaurants, Independence Hall, the Philly Art Museum, Penns Landing and an Eagles game.  After dark, we would see entire families on e-bikes or regular bikes packed with groceries and kids. The only time we had an issue was at the Eagles game. Though there are bike racks somewhere, no one knew where they were. We locked our bikes on a fence. Overall, the weekend was a blast. There was another cycling event in Philly yesterday. But unlike the Philly Bike Ride, this was an event designed to tear people apart. 

When we rode the Philly Bike ride, there were all kinds of cyclists, from kids riding alongside their parents to old-time cycles from the 1800s to unicycles. There were also a few people dressed in the striped uniforms of Auschwitz inmates

Yesterday, another kind of cycling event was conducted in the City of Brotherly Love. About 200 supposed cyclists (as opposed to the 7,000 plus who participated in the Philly Bike Ride) decided to "bike boycott six Jewish restaurants at Rittenhouse Square. This group was organized by a shadowy group called Philly Bike On Your Left. Many of those who participated wore masks. Though they claimed the focus was Palestine, these Jewish restaurants play no role in any atrocities against Palestine. They are simply Jewish.

Moreover, this event took place on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, or "The Night of Broken Glass," when Nazi-led violence devastated Jewish communities and businesses in Germany and Austria in 1938.

Fortunately, there were nearly as many counter-protestors and the event at least was peaceful.

Antisemitism is every real. It is one thing to oppose Israel, but quite another to oppose jews. 

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14 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 7:32 AM

    Your last sentence says it all.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 7:49 AM

    These are mainstream Democrats. Prove me wrong. And stop avoiding this difficult conversation because your party is virulently antisemitic. I'm betting this comment is censored, as usual. That's what antisemites do when called out. I hate both parties. But more and more Ds are Jew haters and you know you have a party problem. Rs threw most of the scumbags out. Ds gave them a new home. The election wasn't a blue wave or tsunami. It was a call to prayer. Own it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bernie O'HareNovember 9, 2026 at 8:50 AM

      It's easy to prove you wrong because the boycott was condemned by mainstream Dems and even left wing Dems in Pa, from the Gov to the AG. Although antiSemitism is real, this is some fringe group, not mainstream Dems.

      Having said that, I really don't give a shit if you want to claim this is Democrats. Just don't claim it is cyclists.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 9:31 AM

      7:49- The "Philly Bike On Your Left" is not a formal organization.
      • Group Identity: Philly Bike On Your Left describes itself as an "anti-fascist, anti-Zionist social cycling collective" rather than an official arm or branch of the Democratic Party.
      • Political Orientation: The group operates in progressive and far-left activist spaces, and its actions have frequently drawn sharp criticism and condemnation from mainstream Democratic officials, including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and U.S. Senator John Fetterman.

      The group has coordinated actions with other local pro-Palestinian and activist organizations, such as the Philadelphia chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (Philly DSA), Philly Writers Against the War on Gaza, Boycott CookNSolo, and the Philly Solidarity Calendar.

      The Democratic Socialists of America is a distinct political organization separate from the Democratic Party,

      7:49- You argument that this was a National Democrat sponsored event is nonsense. It would be the same if a bunch of far right MAGAT snowflakes got together to protest Jewish synagogues and called themselves, "The Republican Communist Facists of America." But if this happened, Trump would probably defend them and say, "There were good guys on both sides." Oh wait....

      Delete
  3. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 8:29 AM

    Bernie, who exactly was protesting? The Democratic Socialists of America I believe...

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 8:47 AM

    This is disgusting- again, funded by a George Soros organization. Thankfully, there were many more supporters of the Jewish restaurants who showed up. There's no place for this nonsense.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 8:55 AM

    My heart felt heavy yesterday when I heard about this event reported on the news. My 'ol city of Brotherly Love shed a few droplets of Holocaust blood yesterday, but thankfully there were little protesters and the counter-protesters outnumbered them.

    Either way, it seems that the week before, you and your grandson had a fabulous time and respresented real love that permeates thus beautiful city.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 9:14 AM

    This anti semitism is very concerning. Hate has no home here doesn’t seem to apply. On a brighter note, that sounds like one hell of a weekend Bernie!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 9:19 AM

    This "protest" was a lame exercise by a handful of "fringe" clowns. No surprise that commenters assume it was Dems or Democratic Socialists, despite the "protesters" being renounced by mainstream Democrats, Parker and Shapiro. But, no doubt the "protesters" are cyclists, and there is more evidence of that than party affiliation.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 12:47 PM

      They're not longer fringe in the Dem. Socialist Party.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 1:47 PM

      1 reason why Shapiro won't be President.

      Delete
  8. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 1:03 PM

    9:31 - These are the people that those democrat elected officials won’t offend at election time. As you note, they are sponsored by the DSA and no Democrat politician (except Fetterman) will call them out and say they want nothing to do with them (the DSA).

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 1:04 PM

    “It is one thing to oppose Israel, but quite another to oppose jews.”

    There is little difference. It’s really just used as cover for those who don’t want to be labeled anti-Jew bigots.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousNovember 9, 2026 at 1:30 PM

    This is disgraceful, but pales in comparison to Jennifer Welch & Angie Sullivan laughing about "digging Charlie Kirk up & doing it again" on their "I've had it podcast." Our society won't survive if we condone political violence.

    ReplyDelete

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