Mob gathers outside of Philly Jewish restaurant: 'You can’t hide, we charge you with genocide!'

Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside of a Jewish and Israeli-owned falafel restaurant in Philadelphia, accusing the restaurant of committing genocide in Gaza amid Israel's war against Hamas and drawing condemnation from the Pennsylvania governor. 

"Goldie, Goldie you can’t hide, We charge you with genocide," a crowd chanted Sunday outside of Goldie Falafel in Pittsburgh. The front windows of the restaurant were plastered with stickers stating "Free Palestine" and "This is Genocide," one eyewitness said. 

Goldie is a subsidiary of the CookNSolo group, co-owned by Israeli-born Michael Solomonov.

On Oct. 12 – days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that left about 1,200 people dead – CookNSolo raised more than $100,000 for Friends of United Hatzalah of Israel, a nonprofit volunteer emergency medical services group.

"Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest. 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," Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said on X in response to a video of the protest outside of Goldie. 

"I can’t believe I even have to say this but targeting businesses simply because they’re Jewish owned is despicable. Philadelphia stands against this sort of harassment and hate," Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., wrote on X. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., also condemned the demonstration: "They could be protesting Hamas. They could be protesting Hamas' systematic rape of Israeli women and girls or demanding the remaining hostages be immediately released. Instead, they targeted a Jewish restaurant. It's pathetic and rank antisemitism."

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.