Oakland Coffee House Sued for Antisemitism

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Fathi Abdulrahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC, owners of Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California, for allegedly discriminating against Jewish customers. The suit, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims violations of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on religion in public accommodations.

The complaint alleges that Harara targeted Jewish customers wearing baseball caps with Stars of David, ordering them to leave the coffee house. In one incident, an employee reportedly told a customer, “You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.” In another, Harara accused a Jewish customer and his five-year-old son of supporting “genocide” and demanded they leave, falsely reporting them for trespassing to Oakland police.

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Further, the lawsuit highlights the coffee house’s promotion of drinks named “Iced In Tea Fada” and “Sweet Sinwar” on the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, alongside exterior wall displays of inverted red triangles, a symbol associated with anti-Semitic violence.

“It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business to refuse to serve Jewish customers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department seeks injunctive relief to end the discriminatory practices but cannot pursue monetary damages under Title II.

The case underscores the department’s commitment to combatting anti-Semitism and protecting civil rights, with enforcement actions aimed at ensuring equal access to public accommodations for all Americans.