DOJ probes coffee shop chain in New York after it bars pro-Israel US lawmaker
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) – The Justice Department said on Monday it was investigating a small New York City coffee shop chain that posted online saying it would have turned away pro-Israel U.S. Representative Dan Goldman had he recognized him during his weekend visit.
“The Civil Rights Division has initiated an investigation and will impose sanctions if deemed necessary,” Deputy Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement to X. he said.
“Federal law prohibits public accommodations, such as coffeehouses, from discriminating against patrons based on race, religion or national origin,” he said.
Goldman, a Democrat, visited Poetica Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with her 7-year-old daughter on Sunday, The New York Times reported.
“We see that you stopped by our store today for a coffee,” Poetica Coffee said on Instagram.
Goldman said she went there so her daughter could use the restroom and bought a coffee to thank the staff for letting her use the restroom.
“We do not serve racists, fascists, homophobes, enablers of genocide, or anyone in between,” Poetica Coffee said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t recognize you right away, otherwise we would have turned you away.”
The coffee shop said it issued a refund. “Never come to Poetica,” he added.
The post was no longer visible on Monday. It appears that his Instagram account has been deactivated.
Goldman is backed by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and faces former New York City comptroller Brad Lander, who is backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in the June 23 primary. Lander and Goldman are both Jewish.
Israel’s more than two-year offensive on Gaza, which killed tens of thousands of people, caused a hunger crisis and internally displaced Gaza’s entire population, has been called genocide by many human rights experts, academics and a United Nations investigation.
Israel describes its actions as self-defense following a Hamas-led attack in October 2023 that killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
