WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit Monday against the owners of a California coffee shop, accusing them of discriminating against Jewish customers in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, targets Fathi Abdulrahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC, operators of the Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland. Prosecutors allege the business denied service to Jewish patrons based on their religion and national origin, a violation of Title II of the landmark civil rights law.
“It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who heads the department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to combatting anti-Semitism and discrimination and protecting the civil rights of all Americans.”
According to the lawsuit, Harara and his staff denied service to Jewish individuals on at least two occasions. In one instance, a customer wearing a cap with a Star of David was allegedly confronted by an employee who said, “You’re the guy with the hat. You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out.”
In another incident, Harara allegedly confronted a Jewish customer who was accompanied by his 5-year-old son, accusing him of being a “Zionist” and supporting “genocide.” Harara demanded that they leave and called Oakland police, falsely accusing them of trespassing, according to the complaint.
Neither customer expressed any political views during their visits, the Justice Department said.
The lawsuit also highlights a controversial marketing campaign at the café, which on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, introduced drinks named “Iced In Tea Fada” and “Sweet Sinwar.” The names appeared to reference the Palestinian intifada and Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader widely believed to have orchestrated the attack.
The lawsuit alleges that the coffee shop’s exterior wall features inverted red triangles — a symbol associated with anti-Semitic attacks — similar to graffiti used to mark Jewish homes and synagogues.
