Pro-Palestine Protesters Chant Outside of Israeli-owned Falafel Restaurant in Philadelphia

On Sunday night, hundreds of Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Philadelphia and congregated outside Goldie, a falafel restaurant owned by American-Israeli chef Michael Solomonov.

The Details: The restaurant had at one point helped fundraise for a volunteer group of Israeli medics operating in Gaza. People also marched through the neighborhood near the University of Pennsylvania and blocked traffic in downtown Philadelphia. Some spray-painted "Free Palestine" on the map of the university campus and reportedly ignited smoke bombs in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Key Quote: “Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest,” Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) tweeted. “A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli. This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history.”

For Context: The protest comes after a weeklong cease-fire that allowed for the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. That truce ended on Friday.

How the Media Covered it: Many right-rated outlets framed the protest as antisemitic. Some highlighted how Solomonov's brother, a volunteer with the Israel Defense Forces, was killed in action in 2003. Left-rated sources focused more on protesters' reasons for demonstrating. Read more about Israel-Palestine ideological divisions.