Dave Portnoy said he was trying to make this a learning experience rather than “f–king burn” the people who ordered the disgusting sign that had an anti-Semitic message on it at one of Barstool’s bars in Philadelphia.
Portnoy had addressed the issue in an angry video posted to social media, but just hours later, the Barstool Sports founder arrived at a decision on what should happen to the two people involved.
He planned to send them to tour the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland in effort to educate them rather then ruin their lives.
“The more I thought about it, it’s like, these are young f–kin morons who did this,” Portnoy said. “They’re drunk. Do you really want to ruin somebody’s life?’
All of this unfolded after patrons at the Barstool Sansom Street bar in Center City, Philadelphia ordered a light-up bottle service sign that read “f–k the Jews,” which someone posted to their Instagram story and was later shared on X.
The video went viral and Portnoy made an initial statement in a video earlier on Sunday and threatened to “ruin” whoever was responsible for the sign.
A calmer Portnoy posted the second video explaining that he was taking a different approach.
“So, yeah, my initial reaction was, I’m gonna f–king burn these people to the ground. Their families, everything,” he said. “And it’s like, you know what? Maybe that’s not the best course of action. Maybe I can use this as a teaching moment. And before people just are like, f–k the Jews or any group and the hate, let’s try to turn a hideous incident into maybe a learning experience.
“’It’s cliché and very unlike me, but I talked to both the culprits who I know are super involved in it, talked to the families. I’m sending these kids to Auschwitz. They’ve agreed to go. That’s, of course, the Holocaust concentration camps.”
Portnoy said that he was going to foot the bill to send the people involved to Auschwitz — which he incorrectly said twice was in Germany when it’s located in Poland — and that he had spoken with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who runs an organization that combats anti-Semitism.
Portnoy previously said the two waitresses who brought out the sign had been fired, which the bar confirmed in its own statement posted to Instagram.
The bar called the actions “deplorable” and said “the unfortunate incident is the opposite of what we stand for.”
“Hopefully [they] learn something and maybe their lives aren’t ruined and they think twice,” Portnoy said. “And more importantly, other people see it’s not just words you’re throwing around. So to me, that’s a fair outcome of this event.”
The Barstool founder also called on his fans to “lay off” if they’re still out to ruin their lives.
However, outside of Portnoy’s initial anger, other blowback has started to come for one person involved.
Temple University announced in a statement that they have already suspended one student and an investigation by the Division of Student Affairs is underway.
“Any additional students who are found to be involved will face strict disciplinary action under the Student Conduct Code, up to and including expulsion,” the statement from university president John Fry read.
“In the strongest terms possible, let me be clear: antisemitism is abhorrent. It has no place at Temple and acts of hatred and discrimination against any person or persons are not tolerated at this university,” the statement also read.
