A cafe owner in Oakland, California kicked out a man for wearing a Star of David emblazoned on his baseball hat this past weekend, arguing that the religious symbol possesses a “violent” connotation and identifies him as a “Zionist.”

In a video posted on social media, Jonathan Hirsch, who is Jewish, was angrily confronted and asked to leave the Jerusalem Coffee House on the afternoon of Oct. 26 because of his hat. Hirsch and the cafe owner, Abdulrahim Harara, engaged in a heated exchange of words, in which the Jewish man accused the venue of practicing unlawful discrimination.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    14
    edit-2
    22 days ago

    One drink is called “Iced In Tea Fada,”

    That doesn’t sound very subtle. I wonder if this guy really did come to the cafe by coincidence or if it was an act of protest. Either way, the proprietor doesn’t seem to have a good legal defense…

    Edit: The place has an Arabic logo but otherwise it looks like a completely normal Bay Area hipster cafe. (Although I suppose that Bay Area hipster cafes aren’t particularly welcoming to people prominently displaying a Star of David.) “Iced In Tea Fada” really is on the menu.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        7
        edit-2
        22 days ago

        Yeah, it seems like both sides are trying to pick a fight now. I wouldn’t go to that coffee shop but I’m not sure how

        3,000 nearly identical emails titled, “Coffee and terrorism in Oakland.” … addressed to County and City electeds

        are supposed to help.


        Heh, in that article the proprietor claims that

        Ice In Tea Fada has been a featured drink on their menu from day one, and was not a response to any one event.

        However, Google has photos of an older version of the menu without that drink.

  • THCDenton
    link
    1221 days ago

    How the fuck is this world news

  • @njm1314
    link
    921 days ago

    Are you a Zionist?” the owner asked.

    “I don’t have to identify myself,” Hirsch answered.

    Well it seems like a yes to me. I wouldn’t serve a fascist either. Cafe owner is totally in the right here.

    • @Crashumbc
      link
      English
      521 days ago

      Yeah, I grew up in one of the largest Jewish communities in the US. I have NEVER seen someone prominently displaying the star on a cap or t-shirt like that…

    • NoneOfUrBusiness
      link
      fedilink
      222 days ago

      Uh… Kicking people over the Buddhist Swastika (which, by the way, is oriented different to the Nazi Swastika) is, indeed, ignorant. Kicking people over a wholly non-political symbol like the Star of David just gives the Palestinian cause a bad look.

  • NoneOfUrBusiness
    link
    fedilink
    322 days ago

    Sigh. For obvious reasons no Arab has good experiences with the Star of David, but still. Sigh.