In a disturbing incident highlighting rising antisemitism, a university student in Mississippi has been arrested after launching a verbal and physical attack on Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy.
The Confrontation Outside a Local Pizzeria
The event unfolded last Friday outside Boardtown Pizza & Pints in Starkville, where Dave Portnoy was filming a segment for his popular One Bite pizza review series. According to a video that subsequently went viral on social media, a individual began shouting antisemitic comments at Portnoy, who is Jewish, and proceeded to throw coins in his direction.
The Starkville Police Department confirmed they were alerted to the incident after the video began circulating online. In an official statement, they noted they became “aware of a video... that depicted an individual yelling an antisemitic statement and throwing coins toward another person.”
Arrest and Immediate Consequences
Following an investigation, police identified the individual as 20-year-old Patrick McClintock, a mechanical engineering student at Mississippi State University (MSU). A warrant was issued over the weekend, and McClintock was arrested and charged with disturbing the peace on Monday.
The consequences for McClintock were swift. According to reports from the Clarion Ledger, he withdrew from MSU on the very same afternoon he was charged.
Dave Portnoy did not shy away from addressing the attack. He released his pizza review as planned, alongside a forceful response to the incident. Posting McClintock's mugshot online, Portnoy labelled him a “loser,” and added, “I hope it was worth it for this kid to do this little stunt.”
A Wider Pattern of Antisemitism
In an interview with CBS following the event, Portnoy expressed his deep concern, stating there has been a “definitive shift” towards antisemitism. Speaking to host Tony Dokoupil, he emphasised his responsibility as a public figure in the Jewish community, saying, “For me, being a Jewish person, like, you got to step up… You have to be, like: ‘All right, this is not normal haha with the guys. People are coming up with real hate.’”
This is not the first time Portnoy has been forced to confront antisemitism this year. Earlier, he had proposed sending two customers on a tour of the Auschwitz concentration camp after an incident at a Philadelphia sports bar he owned, where a customer ordered bottle service with a sign that read “Fuck the Jews.” He later withdrew the offer after one of the individuals involved denied responsibility.
The Starkville police, in their statement, drew a clear legal line, affirming: “Every person has the right to feel safe and respected in our community … Offensive words alone are protected, but when behavior disrupts a public event or risks violence, the Starkville police department will take steps to help maintain safety and security.”
