Temple student suspended over antisemitic Barstool Philly incident wants an apology from Dave Portnoy

Rob Tornoe, The Philadelphia Inquirer on May 7, 2025

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PHILADELPHIA — A Temple student suspended for his alleged involvement in an antisemitic incident at a Barstool sports bar in Philadelphia over the weekend is speaking out.

In a post on X shared Tuesday evening, Mohammed Adnan Khan said he had “nothing to do” with an antisemitic sign displayed inside Barstool Sansom Street in Philadelphia Saturday. Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy misrepresented the incident, Khan claimed, painting him as a villain to millions of followers on social media.

“Dave Portnoy and his friends can choose to be triggered over the sentiments of that sign, and even kick me out of the establishment forever,” Khan said. “However, they have no right to destroy my life over free speech, and ultimately something that was an edgy joke.”

Khan said he shared a video of the sign being paraded around the bar on his Instagram account in an attempt to “report on” what he knew was a controversial incident. He said he didn’t know who was responsible for creating the sign, and didn’t explain why he tagged another Instagram user with the comment, “THANK YOU.”

Speaking on The Unamed Show podcast Wednesday which he cohosts with Kirk Minihane and Ryan Whitney, Portnoy mocked Khan’s explanation he was a “citizen journalist,” claiming he was at the bar with two other young men, one of whom told a waitress to write the antisemitic sign.

Portnoy also said be plans to share videos Khan posted on social media showing him dumping a bucket of water on homeless people, spitting on someone sitting on a bench, and making an antisemitic joke.

“I was going to try and show grace, that’s done,” Portnoy said. “You’ve done a 180. You’re taking no responsibility or accountability... If you’re a Temple student or at any of these other colleges, you should not have to go to college with these... mutants.”

While he denied creating the sign, Khan did suggest he was sympathetic to critics of Israel and the country’s war against Hamas in Gaza, describing it as a “genocide.” He also sat for an interview with Stew Peters, a popular right-wing figure and radio host the Anti-Defamation League describes as a “Christian nationalist and prolific antisemite.”

As for his discussions with Portnoy, Khan said the Barstool CEO offered a trip to Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi prison camp complex in Poland where nearly a million Jewish people were murdered during the Holocaust, as a condition of not calling Khan out publicly. Khan said he initially agreed to accept the trip and responsibility due to the “duress” he felt dealing with someone as powerful as Portnoy, but admitted those statements didn’t reflect “the responsibility that I bear.”

In addition to the suspension, Khan said he lost a “prestigious internship” and has received multiple death threats. He also said his roommate had to evacuate their house after someone leaked his address online.

“Dave Portnoy owes me restitution and an apology for everything that he has done and caused for me in these past few days,” Khan said.

Temple previously said the Division of Student Affairs investigated the incident and placed Khan on interim suspension.

“In the strongest terms possible, let me be clear: Antisemitism is abhorrent,” Temple President John Fry said in a statement. “It has no place at Temple, and acts of hatred and discrimination against any person or persons are not tolerated at this university.”

In response to the Barstool incident and a spike of antisemitic incidents in Pennsylvania, a Jewish pride event will take place Thursday night at 8 p.m. at Vinyl, a Jewish-owned venue in Center City. All proceeds will benefit local organizations who are combating antisemitism, according to the event’s organizers.

“We’re taking something hateful and turning it into something healing,” said Jon Coopersmith, founder of the Jewish event group L’Chaim. “Our goal is to create space for joy, for community, and for everyone who believes in standing up against hate — whether they’re Jewish or not.”