Dave Portnoy, the Jewish founder of Barstool Sports, has declared the deadly attack on a Jewish celebration in Sydney, Australia, was 'borderline inevitable' due to the alarming global rise in antisemitism.
A Tragic Night on Bondi Beach
The media personality made the sombre comments during an interview with Fox News's Peter Doocy, reflecting on the horrific events of Sunday night. At least 15 people, including children, were killed and around 40 others were hospitalised after two gunmen opened fire with rifles on Bondi Beach. The attack targeted a gathering marking the first night of Hanukkah.
'I mean, it’s sadness, it’s tragic. And there’s a lot of tragic news,' Portnoy stated. 'I actually tweeted out, I mean, between this, between Brown University, the Syria attacks, you don’t even want to turn on the TV.'
'Not Shocked or Surprised' in a Hostile Climate
Portnoy expressed his profound dismay that such violence no longer comes as a shock. 'I wish I could say I’m shocked or surprised, but attacks like these seem borderline inevitable with what’s going on in the world,' he said. 'It’s tragic, and it’s sad, but not surprising. And that in itself is probably, you know, the saddest part of it that I’m not surprised.'
He attributed this grim expectation to a perceived normalisation of antisemitic rhetoric and a lack of meaningful pushback. 'People are doing, being antisemitic just openly, and there doesn’t seem to be a whole heck of a lot of pushback. There seems to be a lot of excuses for it,' Portnoy explained.
He outlined a disturbing pattern of blame: 'If [there are] antisemitic attacks, Jews deserved it. If Jews retaliate, it’s the Jews’ fault. No matter what it is, it’s the Jews’ fault. So that is the world we live in right now.'
Personal Encounters with Hate Fuel His Warning
Portnoy's perspective is informed by his own recent experiences as a target of antisemitic abuse. Last month, while filming a pizza review in Starkville, Mississippi, a 20-year-old man named Patrick McClintock was arrested for allegedly throwing coins and shouting 'f*** the Jews' at him.
This was not an isolated incident. In June, a passer-by yelled the same slur from a car while Portnoy was reviewing pizza in Toronto. He was left furious when onlookers laughed at the abuse. Furthermore, a bottle service worker at a Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia was filmed holding a sign with the same hateful message, leading Portnoy to fire those involved.
Portnoy highlighted how perpetrators sometimes gain notoriety or support, citing the fundraiser for his Mississippi heckler and the treatment of Temple University student Mo Khan, allegedly involved in the Philadelphia sign incident. 'People make like a hero out of them,' he said.
He also pointed to a perceived failure of institutions, stating, 'You see colleges where Jews are openly being intimidated on campus and administrators do nothing.'
Concluding with a grave warning, Portnoy reiterated his stance on the Sydney massacre: 'So does this shock me? No, it’s inevitable.' His comments underscore a deepening concern about the safety of Jewish communities worldwide amidst a climate he sees as increasingly permissive of hate.
