Brooklyn cafe ejects Jewish congressman over pro-Israel stance

A popular Brooklyn cafe, Poetica, ejected Jewish Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman because of his support for Israel, then refunded his drink and posted hostile messages about him online. The incident took place in Brooklyn, New York, and quickly became a public scandal after the cafe said it would not serve “supporters of genocide, racists or fascists.”

The backlash intensified when the cafe posted Goldman’s photo on Facebook with a vulgar caption comparing his drink to “genocide juice.” Management also said that if staff had recognized him in advance, he would have been denied entry altogether.

The episode happened during a sensitive political moment, on the eve of the Democratic primary in New York’s 10th District, where Goldman is running against former city comptroller Brad Lander, a progressive critic of Israeli policy. Goldman has been widely known for his strong support of Israel, and he previously gained international attention as lead prosecutor in Donald Trump’s first impeachment.

Goldman said he was deeply upset by the confrontation. He said he had come with his seven-year-old daughter, that the barista on duty was kind and even let the child use the restroom, and that he bought coffee and left a tip in gratitude. Cafe workers stood by their position, saying they were “against genocide.” After the incident went viral, the owners said they began receiving threats against themselves and the business, and the cafe ultimately deleted its official Instagram account under public pressure.