Philly DSA claims counter-protest is repression

Philadelphia’s branch of the Democratic Socialists of America is claiming that its anti-Israel movement is being repressed because of the backlash against its Sunday boycott of Jewish-owned businesses in the City of Brotherly Love.The DSA group doubled-down on its poorly planned boycott, which was held on the eve of the Kristallnacht Nazi night of terror, claiming the outrage against Sunday’s effort was unwarranted and belittled the boycotters’ message.“From the Senator Fetterman and Congressman Boyle to Governor Shapiro, Mayor Parker, and Council President Johnson, politicians have joined a chorus of bad-faith and dangerous conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism and invoking comparisons of the Kristallnacht that trivialize trauma and suppress political speech,” the group said in a statement.“These condemnations were not good-faith conversations about tactics.”The Philly DSA also appeared to be surprised by the backlash, given last week’s blue wave at the midterms, which the group claimed was evidence of “growing opposition to Israel’s genocide in Palestine.“What we’ve seen instead is an unacceptable use of political power, designed to delegitimize and chill acts of solidarity in the fight for Palestinian liberation, weaponized against the very people who helped put these politicians in office,” the Philly DSA fumed.

Sunday’s boycott, organized by Philly Bike On Your Left, targeted several Jewish-owned businesses in the city’s Rittenhouse Square.But the demonstration was called off early when the boycotters were met with hundreds of counter-protesters who came out in support of the restaurants.The organizers said the boycott was shut down over safety concerns and claimed the event has been “grossly misrepresented.”  One masked man admitted to The Post that he didn’t know why Mac Mart, one of the targeted businesses, was chosen despite not having any connections to Israel.“I don’t know.

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