For the second week in a row, Alan Dershowitz was denied pierogi at a farmer’s market in Martha’s Winery, marking yet one more summer season of social angst on the unique enclave for the previous Jeffrey Epstein lawyer.
Following days of authorized threats and accusations of antisemitism lobbed on the house owners of Good Pierogi after final week’s incident when the seller denied him service, Dershowitz confirmed again up on Wednesday to as soon as once more buy some potato-stuffed dumplings in “an effort to attempt to restore group.”
With a big crowd of supporters backing them, the seller refused to again down towards the famed protection lawyer and continued to rebuff Dershowitz’s pleas for pierogi, leaving him empty-handed as soon as once more.
“Time to go,” the supporters chanted. “Go house, Alan!”
Final week, Dershowitz put the West Tisbury Farmers Market within the nationwide highlight when he threatened authorized motion after Good Pierogi proprietor Krem Miskevich refused to serve him. Dershowitz would inform law enforcement officials on the scene that he was the sufferer of discrimination, and later posted to social media that he was suing the “bigoted vendor” for denying him pierogi “for political causes.”
Alan Dershowitz unsuccessfully makes an attempt to buy pierogi from an unwilling vendor at a Martha’s Winery market. It’s the most recent in his controversies over pierogis within the superstar hotspot. (YouTube)
Saying that a lot of the backlash towards him centered on his protection of Donald Trump and Epstein, the deceased intercourse offender who has been again within the information, Dershowitz has additionally insisted that that is actually about his Jewish heritage and fervent assist for Israel.
Over the weekend, Dershowitz handed out fliers on the market that accused distributors of being antisemitic, following that up with a tweet this week that claimed that Good Pierogi’s meals was “tainted with the poison of antisemitism” whereas urging others to boycott the institution.
“As I appropriately suspected, the bigot who refused to promote me perogi — Krem Miskevich — is a infamous anti-semite who’s a part of an anti-semitic group that protests Jewish — not solely Israeli— cultural occasions and doesn’t consider in Israel’s proper to exist or to reply to what these haters regard because the “justified” massacres of Oct 7,” he posted on Monday, including: “Don’t patronize anti-semites who refuse to promote to Jewish Zionists.”
Miskevich, who makes use of they/them pronouns, has but to talk to the press in regards to the kerfuffle however did put up on Good Pierogi’s Instagram account a prolonged response to Dershowitz’s accusations and what sparked the incident final week.
Miskevich, who co-owns Good Pierogi with their partner Lily Rose, mentioned they “skilled a surge of emotion” when Dershowitz appeared at their tent final week as a result of he’s represented and befriended “a number of sexual predators and abusers together with Jeffrey Epstein.” Miskevich added that when it gave them pause to promote to Dershowitz, the Harvard Regulation emeritus “started to harass us, misgender me, and movie us with out our consent.”
As for Dershowitz’s antisemitism claims, Miskevich famous that they’re Jewish and have rapid relations in Israel, noting that associates name them “Rabbi Krem” and that they’ve private relationships with different rabbis on the island. “Lastly, we don’t again all the way down to bullies – irrespective of their dimension,” Miskevich concluded the Tuesday evening put up.
Regardless of calling on others to shun Good Pierogi over their “bigotry,” Dershowitz joined the lengthy line of shoppers on Wednesday after the market opened – most of whom have been there to indicate their assist for the seller amid Dershowitz’s authorized threats.
With anticipation rising for an additional confrontation with media onlookers and supporters encircling the tent, Dershowitz made his technique to the entrance of the road and claimed he was there to convey concord again to the island – simply so long as Miskevich acknowledged they have been within the improper.
“I’m right here in an effort to attempt to restore group and to ask you to promote me pierogi within the curiosity of protecting the island collectively so we don’t must have two pierogi stands: one for anti-Zionists and one for individuals who will promote to anyone,” he declared. “So I’d ask you to please simply promote me any one in all your merchandise to indicate that you just’re ready to promote to anyone and never enable your anti-Zionism to determine which individuals you’ll promote to.”
On the identical time, he got here armed with a paperback model of one in all his books that he needed to present Miskevich – which he additionally famous he had personally signed.
“I’m very shocked that you just’re right here due to the issues that you just’ve been saying about us and the enterprise on-line,” the Good Pierogi chef reacted. “I actually don’t respect what you’ve been sharing within the final week.”
Dershowitz insisted that the whole lot he mentioned was “true,” prompting Miskevich to ask him to offer proof that they’re antisemitic. Dershowitz pointed to Miskevich’s participation in a protest exterior the island’s Jewish Tradition Pageant final yr.
Talia Weingarten, who helped set up that protest, pushed again on Dershowitz’s generalization in regards to the demonstration, claiming it was largely about taking a stand towards genocide and oppression in Gaza. On the time of the protest, Weingarten instructed the Martha’s Winery Occasions that it was to partially object to the looks of music artist Matisyahu, who has been outspoken in his assist of the Israeli Protection Drive.
“We’re right here to reject the presence of somebody who performs and fundraises for the Israeli Occupation Forces and the AIPAC lobbying group, condones violence towards the Palestinian folks and land within the title of Jewish security, and denies ongoing genocide, as an extension of our Jewish values,” she mentioned.
The supervisor of the farmer’s market requested Alan Dershowitz to depart after it was obvious the famed lawyer was not going to get any pierogi. (YouTube)
At one level within the back-and-forth, Miskevich took situation with Dershowitz repeatedly misgendering them, prompting the high-profile lawyer to concede the purpose. “You might be they, you might be them. I’m completely satisfied to make use of no matter pronouns you need,” he mentioned.
Supporters of Good Pierogi ultimately started clamoring for Dershowtiz to depart whereas defending Miskevich, main the superstar lawyer to accuse them of “bigotry” and sparking a fair louder argument.
“My grandparents died within the Holocaust! Don’t you name me an antisemite,” one buyer shouted whereas one other added: “My Jewish tradition is a historical past of resistance to genocide. We aren’t antisemites, we stand towards the oppression of all folks.”
In the meantime, as Miskevich begged Dershowitz to cease being a “bully” and calling them “bigots,” he groused: “You’re the one who received’t promote me my pierogi!” At this level, marketgoers started chanting “time to go” earlier than the market supervisor stepped in and requested Dershowitz to depart.
In the long run, Dershowitz shuffled off with none pierogi whereas the gang loudly applauded. This time, at the very least, the police didn’t get entangled.
Interviewed by the Martha’s Winery Occasions in regards to the interplay, Dershowitz mentioned he “predicted” that Good Pierogi would obtain ample assist from the group as a result of “a lot of Martha’s Winery is anti-Israel.” He additionally waved off Good Pierogi’s Instagram put up as a “put up facto excuse,” claiming “among the worst antisemites on this planet have Jewish background and Jewish heritage.”
However, different residents and longtime guests mentioned it was important to assist their native distributors, particularly in conditions the place they’re out of the blue thrust into nationwide controversy.
“I believe, particularly, the feedback that they made on social media [were] actually profound and necessary,” Kirsten Stevenson instructed the Occasions. “I used to be disenchanted with what occurred final week and I need to be right here and assist them.”
Native attorneys have mentioned that Dershowitz’s authorized threats towards Good Pierogi and the farmer’s market are on shaky authorized floor. One among Dershowitz’s calls for is that the market write into its bylaws that distributors must promote to all people.
“[Experts] highlighted that in contrast to race or faith, political opinions are usually not given that very same kind of safety for shoppers,” the Occasions reported. “Zionism isn’t a protected standing because it’s thought of a political motion, however Dershowitz referred to as this ‘too simple-minded,’ saying Zionism is a crucial a part of his Judaism.”
