A Brooklyn coffee shop found itself at the center of a federal probe after publicly banning a New York congressman, accusing him of being a “genocide enabler” for his stance on Israel. The incident unfolded when Rep. Dan Goldman, a Jewish Democrat currently seeking re-election, visited Poetica Coffee with his young daughter.
The coffee shop, in a now-deleted social media post, shared a photo of Goldman at the register and wrote: “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 post added that the shop had refunded Goldman and told him never to return.
Goldman, however, offered a different take in the comments, noting the barista “could not have been nicer” to him and his 7-year-old daughter, who needed to use the restroom. He added, “I hope you at least make sure she gets the tip that she deserved.”
The backlash was swift. Harmeet Dillon, the DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, announced an investigation into Poetica Coffee. “Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” she wrote in a 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.”
Poetica Coffee could not be reached for comment. Goldman is facing a primary challenge from Brad Lander, a former city comptroller and mayoral candidate backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
