A college student from Mississippi has been arrested for allegedly making anti-Semitic remarks directed at Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool Sports, during a pizza review filming. This incident occurred in Starkville, as confirmed by local authorities and media reports.
Patrick McClintock, aged 20, was taken into custody on Monday after a video surfaced showing him shouting “fuck the Jews” at Portnoy, who is Jewish. This occurred while Portnoy was doing a “bite” review on Friday, according to the Starkville police and a university newspaper.
McClintock, a junior studying mechanical engineering at Mississippi State University, has since voluntarily withdrawn from the university, as a spokesperson confirmed.
He faced charges of disturbing the peace, with police stating that an arrest warrant had been issued over the weekend.
After processing, McClintock was released on bail set at $2,500.
During the incident in front of Board Town Pizza & Pint, Portnoy was seen responding to McClintock, asking, “Would you like to be on camera, buddy?” He even motioned for McClintock to approach. Following a brief face-to-face exchange, it appears McClintock left the scene after some confrontation from bystanders.
In the video, someone shouted at McClintock, telling him to “get out of here,” with another voice commenting, “It was horrible.”
Portnoy has since remarked on the increasing frequency of anti-Semitic attacks he’s experienced, labeling it a “definitive change” in the current social climate. He noted that previously he would face sporadic comments, but now it seems to occur daily. “There is a decisive shift in what is happening,” he stated.
This isn’t the first time Portnoy has been targeted. A similar incident occurred over the summer while he was shooting a review outside a Toronto venue.
The Starkville Police Department emphasized that everyone has the right to feel safe and respected in the community. They affirmed that while offensive language can be protected, any actions that disrupt public events or risk violence would prompt a response to maintain public order.
