Overview
- Poetica Coffee posted a photo of Rep. Dan Goldman on social media Monday, refunded his $9.82 purchase and wrote that it would not serve “genocide enablers,” drawing immediate attention.
- The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said it has opened an investigation and warned that denying service based on religion or national origin can violate federal law and may prompt enforcement action.
- Poetica deactivated its social accounts after the backlash and said it received multiple death threats, including at least one with Islamophobic language.
- Jewish community leaders called the post discriminatory and urged city and state human‑rights reviews; Goldman said the on‑duty barista was kind to his child and criticized how the episode has been handled.
- Commentators noted the contrast between Poetica’s stated mission of “radical hospitality” and the post, and a single outlet’s reporting of unpaid taxes and health‑code issues tied to the owner remains uncorroborated.