Justice Department Investigates Brooklyn Coffee Shop Over Alleged Discrimination Against Congressman

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into a New York City coffee shop chain after the business publicly declared it would have refused service to a pro-Israel member of Congress.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced the probe on Monday, stating that the Civil Rights Division will pursue enforcement action if warranted. “Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” Dhillon wrote on X.

The controversy centers on Poetica Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Representative Dan Goldman, a Democrat, visited with his 7-year-old daughter on Sunday. According to The New York Times, Goldman stopped at the shop so his daughter could use the restroom and purchased a coffee to thank the staff.

In a since-deleted Instagram post, Poetica Coffee acknowledged the visit and stated: “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 shop added that it had issued a refund and warned Goldman not to return.

The Instagram account appears to have been deactivated as of Monday.

Goldman, who is Jewish, is currently competing in a June 23 primary against former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is also Jewish. The race has drawn endorsements from prominent figures including Governor Kathy Hochul, who backs Goldman, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who supports Lander.

The incident occurs amid heightened tensions surrounding Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which have continued for more than two years. Rights experts, scholars, and a United Nations inquiry have characterized the campaign as genocide, citing tens of thousands of deaths, a hunger crisis, and the displacement of Gaza’s entire population. Israel maintains its actions constitute self-defense following the October 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in over 250 hostages being taken.

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