The Temple University student caught up in the Barstool Sports antisemitism scandal has claimed he was simply acting as a “citizen journalist” when he filmed staff at the chain’s Philadelphia bar holding a sign that read “f*** the Jews”.
Mo Khan, who uploaded the clip that sparked global fury, has allegedly U-turned on a commitment to visit Auschwitz and learn about the Holocaust, according to Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, who is Jewish.
The video, which has been shared widely on social media, showed a group of revellers dancing as a waitress held up the offensive sign, which can be modified by customers for a fee. At least one appeared to indicate support for the sign, saying ‘f*** them’ while being filmed by Khan.
After being alerted to the incident by Stop Antisemitism, Portnoy released a video in which he said he was “shaking” with rage. Two waitresses were fired while Khan has reportedly been suspended by Temple University and has deleted his Instagram account.
But, the executive also said: “The more I thought about it, these are young f****** morons who did this, they’re drunk, do you really want to ruin somebody’s life?
"Maybe that’s not the best course of action, maybe I can use this as a teaching moment...let’s try to turn a hideous incident into a learning experience.
“I talked to both the culprits that I know are super involved in it...I’m sending these kids to Auschwitz, they’ve agreed to go."
However, in a later video, Portnoy identified Khan as one of those two and claimed that the student was now “no longer taking any responsibility” and “lawyering up and blaming it all on his friend now”.
He went on: “I talked to both of them on the phone, both of them took accountability, both of them were like ‘yes, we did this’.”
Despite this alleged admission, Khan issued a statement in a now-deleted social media post in which he said: “As part of my regular series of posting videos of my experience as a college student in Philadelphia, I documented what took place as a citizen journalist.
"Neither I, nor anyone whose username tagged in the video I posted, paid for or requested that sign.
"The credit card and ID on the table were not mine either.
"I abhor hate in all its forms. I was raised to be respectful and amicable to all people.”
Portnoy, though, claimed this was “a full 180” from his original admission and alleged that he had a recording of a call with Khan in which he declined to take responsibility for the sign and insisted he was “pressured into it”.
The Barstool owner went on: “I’m trying to make this a teachable moment.
"I’m not going to send him [to Poland] now...I don’t need you lying. Do you think everyone’s stupid?”
The JC has contacted Temple University and Mo Khan for comment.
