Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy, 48, who is Jewish, announced that he was rescinding an offer inviting a Temple University student to visit Auschwitz in Poland. It came following an incident this past weekend when a student drinking at one of his establishments posted a video of patrons displaying a sign with an expletive against Jews.
“Quick update. Mo Kahn is no longer taking any responsibility or involvement for the ‘F*** the Jews’ sign at Barstool Samson,” wrote Portnoy, adding that Kahn was “lawyering up.” Khan, whose first name is Mohammed, posted the video to social media, according to a fact sheet from the American Jewish Committee.
“It is a 180 from my convo with him yesterday,” added Portnoy, referring to Monday. “Needless to say, his trip to Poland has been revoked.”
On May 3, patrons at Barstool Sansom Street in Center City held a sign that said “F*** the Jews” while ordering bottle service, which comes with a personal sign in addition to drinks. A clip went viral on social media, showing the group laughing and dancing, prompting immediate outrage from Portnoy.
He held an “emergency press conference” the following day. Portnoy also announced that he fired the two waitresses involved in the incident.
Temple University said it had placed one student involved on interim suspension. It is unclear if that student is Khan.
“In the strongest terms possible, let me be clear: Antisemitism is abhorrent,” said John Fry, the university’s president, in a statement following the incident. “It has no place at Temple, and acts of hatred and discrimination against any person or persons are not tolerated at this university. “
JNS contacted Temple for more information about the matter. In the meantime, Philadelphia police told JNS that it is “looking into this matter” and “will provide an update as soon as possible.”