A well-known Brooklyn cafe, Poetics, triggered public anger after it expelled Jewish, pro-Israel Congressman Dan Goldman. The shop refunded him $9.82 for the coffee he had bought, said it “does not serve supporters of genocide,” and posted his photo on social media with insulting remarks.
Goldman responded by saying the barista had been kind and allowed his seven-year-old daughter to use the restroom, which is why he wanted to buy coffee as a gesture of thanks. After the cafe owners received threats following their own proud social media post about the incident, they deleted the business’s Instagram account and tried to move on from the episode.
The confrontation took place on the eve of the Democratic primary in New York’s 10th District, where Goldman was expected to lose to his main rival, former city comptroller Brad Lander. Lander has formed a close political alliance with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who openly presents himself as anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian.
The article says Goldman stressed throughout his campaign that his support for Israel stems from his Jewish identity and lessons of the Holocaust. By contrast, it describes Lander and Mamdani as pushing a radical progressive line, joining protests against Israel and frequently posting accusations that Israel is committing apartheid and genocide. The incident drew attention in the U.S. media and alarmed Jewish communities, and CNN commentator Scott Jennings warned live that expelling a Jewish elected official from a cafe for supporting Israel was a dangerous red line. He said, “This cannot happen. This is not Germany in 1939, this is the United States of America.”
