Man Arrested for Antisemitic Rant During Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Sports Pizza Review
A 20-year-old man from Starkville, Mississippi, has been charged for disturbing the peace following an antisemitic outburst directed at Barstool Sports founder, Dave Portnoy. The incident occurred outside Boardtown Pizza & Pints when Portnoy was filming a pizza review during a Mississippi State football game.
Details of the Incident
The confrontation was captured on video and shared on Portnoy’s Instagram. In the footage, the suspect, identified as Patrick McClintock, can be heard shouting offensive comments, including “Hey, f— the Jews. F— you, Dave Portnoy.”
McClintock also reportedly threw coins at Portnoy, before being interfered with by another individual present at the scene. Patrons of the restaurant expressed their disapproval, chanting at McClintock to back off. Portnoy, who is Jewish, addressed the behavior, stating, “There’s a–holes everywhere. What are you going to do?”
Legal Consequences
The Starkville Police Department processed McClintock and released him shortly after his arrest. Legal representation details for McClintock are unclear, and he reportedly withdrew from Mississippi State University around the same time police announced their investigation.
Potential Hate Crime Charges
- Mississippi lacks a specific hate crime statute but allows enhancements for crimes motivated by bias.
- The police are reviewing if McClintock’s actions warrant a hate crime enhancement.
Sid Salter, a spokesperson for Mississippi State, stated that the incident does not represent the university’s values. The nonprofit Endjewhatred has called for McClintock to face hate crime charges, arguing that similar incidents against other minority groups would prompt immediate action.
Broader Implications
The American Jewish Committee commented on the incident, linking it to a concerning trend of rising antisemitism across the United States. Portnoy himself has criticized the increase in hate speech online, suggesting it fosters an environment where such incidents can occur, saying, “What’s an easy answer? Oh, it’s the Jews’ fault.”
This incident follows another controversy involving antisemitic language at a Barstool location in Philadelphia earlier this year, which led Portnoy to terminate employees involved. His ongoing remarks about anti-Israel protests have also attracted media attention.
As the investigation unfolds, the Starkville community and beyond watch closely to see how legal proceedings develop in this high-profile case.
