A New York coffee shop went viral over the weekend after its owners publicly revealed they denied pro-Israel Rep. Dan Goldman for being a “genocide enabler.”
Poetica Coffee in Brooklyn shared a Facebook post on Sunday that featured a picture of Goldman in the shop, adding that they issued him a $9.82 refund for his business.
“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?” the post said.
The post added that the business would have turned him away if they recognized him.
“See, here at Poetica, 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. We issued you a refund—we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways). Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica,” it added.
Mark Goldfeder, director of the National Advocacy Jewish Center, said Poetica’s mentioning of AIPAC “gave the game away” as to the owners’ conspiratorial leanings, per the New York Post.
“They put a huge amount of Jewish people on notice that they are not welcome,” Goldfeder said. “It’s not just about Dan Goldman. It puts a lot of Jews on edge.”
Mark Treyger, the CEO for the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, asserted that Poetica’s treatment of Goldman “absolutely violates New York’s human rights laws that bar discrimination.”
“Assigning collective blame to Jews or perceived supporters of Israel over disagreements with Middle East policies is the very definition of antisemitism,” Treyger said. “The nature of the social media post leaves serious questions about the business’s practices that warrant a thorough review under City and State human rights law. Turning a cup of coffee into a Jewish identity litmus test is an affront to the law, our values, and every New Yorker who rejects discrimination.”
Neither State Attorney General Letitia James nor Mayor Zohran Mamdani has responded to the controversy.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Department of Justice, confirmed that Poetica’s actions are potentially illegal.
“Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” Dhillon said on an X post. “These actions are not only reprehensible, they’re potentially illegal. The Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation, and will bring an enforcement action if warranted.”
Goldman later said that he only bought coffee at the shop as a courtesy after they allowed his daughter to use the restroom.
“I am sorry to see this post,” he said in a statement. “The barista could not have been nicer to my 7-year-old daughter and me — allowing her to use the bathroom even though we had not purchased anything. I made sure to buy a coffee in return for her kindness. I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.”
Goldman faces an uphill battle for reelection against New York City comptroller Brad Lander, who agreed that Poetica crossed the line.
“There are plenty of ways to lobby elected officials and express outrage at the votes they’ve taken without turning coffee shops into places people don’t feel welcome,” Lander said.
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