A show of solidarity from Philadelphia residents and elected officials overshadowed an antisemitic bicycle protest targeting several Jewish- and Israeli-owned restaurants in the city’s Rittenhouse Square neighborhood on Sunday, with one restaurant owner describing the outpouring of support as something that she had never experienced in her life.

There were roughly 300 anti-Israel demonstrators — including 200 on bikes — while approximately 200 counterprotesters, some waving Israeli flags, turned out in support of the targeted businesses and the Jewish community, according to Philadelphia police. 

Three people were arrested during the demonstration, authorities said — a man and a woman on charges of disorderly conduct and a 17-year-old boy for allegedly assaulting police. The rally lasted approximately an hour, and no property damage was reported, according to authorities.

The list of targeted businesses included Israeli restaurants Dizengoff, Goldie and K’Far Cafe, sandwich shop Huda as well as Schlessinger’s Deli and Mac Mart. The activist groups’ flyer declared that “these Zionist establishments must go,” prompting condemnation from local Jewish organizations and elected officials last week, which called the campaign an effort to intimidate and exclude Jews from Philadelphia’s economic and civic life. The rally took place on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogrom against Jews that included the looting and destruction of Jewish businesses.

The rally followed a Friday solidarity lunch organized by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s Jewish Community Relations Council at Dizengoff in Center City, which drew about a dozen people including Pennsylvania First Lady Lori Shapiro, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, state lawmakers, City Councilmember Anthony Phillips and faith leaders. 

Notably absent from the lunch was Rep.-elect Chris Rabb (D-PA), a Democratic Socialists of America endorsee elected to the Philadelphia-based congressional district last Tuesday. Requests for comment by Jewish Insider from the congressman-elect went unanswered.

“The people who participated in the lunch were mostly not Jewish, which was wonderful to have that kind of support,” Robin Schatz, director of the local Jewish federation, told JI. 

Marti Lieberman, owner of Mac Mart, a macaroni-and-cheese kiosk that typically closes on Sundays, decided to open during the protest. She said customers formed a protective barrier between the restaurants and protesters, shouting words of encouragement. Every targeted restaurant was met with long lines of patrons showing support. 

“Everything turned into a massive pot of positivity,” Lieberman told JI.

“I’m 37 years old and in 37 years I have never felt this amount of support,” Lieberman said, adding that messages of support are continuing to pour in for her from around the world. “While it’s overwhelming, it has totally overshadowed anything the protesters were trying to do today.”