A fundraiser for the Mississippi State University student charged with disturbing the peace after allegedly yelling antisemitic comments at Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has raised more than $43,000 online.
Patrick McClintok, age 20, was arrested by the Starkville Police Department on Nov. 10 and charged with disturbing the peace. A viral video posted to social media shows McClintock shouting antisemitic remarks and throwing coins toward Portnoy, who is Jewish, outside Boardtown Pizza & Pints, where Portnoy was filming a “One Bite” pizza review on Nov. 7.
McClintock, who was a junior mechanical engineering major, has since withdrawn from MSU.
A campaign titled “DEFEND PATRICK MCCLINTOCK” appeared on the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo days after McClintock’s arrest. The page, which refers to McClintock as an “American patriot,” claims he was arrested “for the ‘crime’ of mean words.” As of Tuesday evening, the campaign has raised $43,520.
On Nov. 1o, Portnoy released footage on Instagram of his pizza review and the following incident. In the video, he said that the incident will likely follow McClintock for the rest of his life.
“Every time he applies for a job, they’re going to go ‘Oh, so you’re an antisemitic piece of s–t,'” Portnoy said.
In response to the incident, MSU’s Hillel chapter, the university’s only Jewish-based student organization, released a statement on Instagram condemning antisemitism and expressing appreciation for the swift response from the Starkville Police Department.
“The behavior of the student who initiated this incident should not be taken as representative of the campus community as a whole,” the statement reads. “…It is truly deplorable that even one individual can tarnish our community’s reputation as a safe and supportive environment for Jewish people. This behavior has no place at MSU or in Starkville.”
Hillel’s officers wrote that antisemitism is rare at MSU but emphasized the importance of rejecting hate whenever it occurs.
“Judaism teaches that we should always act with peace, goodness, and compassion,” the statement continued.
According to the U.S. Anti-Defamation League, there has been nearly a 900% increase in antisemitic incidents over the past 10 years.
McClintock’s case remains under investigation. The Starkville Police Department previously stated that Mississippi law allows enhanced penalties for bias-motivated crimes.
“Every person has the right to feel safe and respected in our community,” a statement from Brandon Lovelady, the public information officer for Starkville Police Department, reads. “Offensive words alone are protected, but when behavior disrupts a public event or risks violence, the Starkville Police Department will take steps to help maintain safety and security.”
