The individual accused of hurling antisemitic slurs and throwing coins at Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on Friday, November 7, has been identified and arrested. The suspect is 20-year-old Patrick McClintock, a student at Mississippi State University (MSU).
The disturbing incident occurred on a street in Starkville, Mississippi, while Portnoy was recording one of his famous “One Bite” pizza reviews. The video of the confrontation quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation.
Arrest and Charges
The Starkville Police Department (SPD) confirmed they were made aware of the viral video on Friday and issued a warrant for McClintock’s arrest over the weekend. On Monday, November 10:
- McClintock was charged with disturbing the peace.
- He was processed and released after posting a bond of $2,500.
The SPD issued a statement regarding the incident, which read in part: “Every person has the right to feel safe and respected in our community. 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.”
The department also noted that the case is still under investigation, and that Mississippi law allows courts to impose enhanced penalties if a violation meets the criteria for bias-motivated or discriminatory reasons (hate crime).
Who is Patrick McClintock?
Patrick McClintock was identified as a junior mechanical engineering major at Mississippi State University, according to the university newspaper, The Reflector.
The Clarion Ledger reported that McClintock has since withdrawn from Mississippi State University following the incident.
Portnoy Addresses the Incident
Dave Portnoy, who is Jewish, was in Starkville to attend the November 8 Mississippi State football game against Georgia. He released the pizza review video, which included the incident, on Monday and addressed the hateful encounter on his social media. Portnoy noted that while the slurs were shocking, the incident did not overshadow the overall positive experience:
“On a brighter note, this incident didn’t ruin my week,” he said. “It didn’t ruin my day — maybe one minute. But the people of Starkville, I will never judge one (expletive) for the entire city.”
He praised the community, adding, “Everybody was super nice, shoutout to Starkville High by the way. Everybody was super nice and actually bending over backwards during the course of the weekend.”
In a separate interview recorded prior to the incident, Portnoy had already spoken about the increasing frequency of hate speech he encounters, telling CBS Sunday Morning, “I experience antisemitism daily. It’s gotten to a point where people think it’s okay.”