Brooklyn Coffee Shop Under Federal Review After Refusing Service to Congressman Dan Goldman Over Israel Views
A Brooklyn coffee shop has become the center of a national political dispute after refusing future service to Rep. Dan Goldman, a Democratic congressman from New York, over his pro-Israel views, an episode that later prompted scrutiny from federal civil rights officials examining whether the business may have crossed into unlawful discrimination under public accommodations law.
Goldman, who represents New York’s 10th congressional district, said he briefly stopped at the café with his young daughter and later characterized the experience as “sad,” describing an otherwise routine interaction with staff that, at the time, gave no indication of the controversy that would soon follow.
Attention shifted after a now-deleted post attributed to the café surfaced online shortly after his visit.
The message criticized Goldman’s political positions on Israel and stated the business would not serve individuals associated with those views.
In a social media post that has now apparenty been deleted, Poetica Coffee slammed the Jewish congressman — who's currently up for re-election — over his support for Israel.
The post, which includes a photo of Goldman standing at the register, read: “We see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee.”
“We don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers or anyone in between. Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.”
The coffee shop then went on to say that it had issued a refund to the congressman, and told him to never come to the store.
Goldman, who represents New York’s 10th congressional district, said he briefly stopped at the café with his young daughter and later characterized the experience as “sad,” describing an otherwise routine interaction with staff that, at the time, gave no indication of the controversy that would soon follow.
Attention shifted after a now-deleted post attributed to the café surfaced online shortly after his visit.
The message criticized Goldman’s political positions on Israel and stated the business would not serve individuals associated with those views.
In a social media post that has now apparenty been deleted, Poetica Coffee slammed the Jewish congressman — who's currently up for re-election — over his support for Israel.
The post, which includes a photo of Goldman standing at the register, read: “We see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee.”
“We don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers or anyone in between. Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away.”
The coffee shop then went on to say that it had issued a refund to the congressman, and told him to never come to the store.
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