Members of the group Jewish Voice for Peace Philly were ordered to leave and were escorted out of Citizens Bank Park during the Phillies game Thursday night after displaying pro-Palestinian signs against the war in Gaza.
It was Jewish Heritage Night at the ballpark and the protesters held up letter signs that spelled “Philly Jews say free Palestine and Go Phils!”
The group said later that the message was a reference to Jewish actor and Eagles fan Hannah Einbinder who ended her acceptance speech for an Emmy award last week by declaring: “Go Birds, f— ICE, and free Palestine!”
A video clip posted by Jewish Voice for Peace Philly on Instagram shows group members being escorted in an orderly fashion down some stairs by at least four security personnel. The members are chanting “Free Palestine! Go Phils!”
A Phillies spokesperson said in a statement Friday: “Last night, our security staff made the group aware of our banners and signage policy and informed them that they should take down the signs or they would need to leave the ballpark. They chose to leave and it was a peaceful exit.”
The spokesperson provided a copy of the team policy that restricts displays to subjects that are related to baseball, or to personal fan messages about topics such as birthdays, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, and health.
Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, senior rabbi at Kol Tzedek synagogue in West Philadelphia, said in a statement about bringing the group’s message to Jewish Heritage Night: “I’m here tonight because I love the Phillies and I am proud of my Jewish heritage, which calls on us to pursue justice and protect life. Israel’s genocide of Palestinians runs counter to those values, and as Jews we are obligated to speak out against injustice, and to say ‘not in our name’.”