A coffee shop in California has issued an apology after a video circulated on social media showing employees blocking a Jewish woman from using the restroom while making anti-Israel comments. The incident took place at Farley’s Coffee’s East location in Oakland, California, and was captured on video by the Jewish woman. In the video, the employees can be seen standing in front of the bathroom door, refusing to let her enter. They wanted to prevent her from recording graffiti in the bathroom that equated Zionism to fascism. The employees also accused her of “misgendering” another employee.
After the incident, Farley’s Coffee issued an apology statement on their Instagram page, denying any antisemitic intentions and promising to provide ongoing staff training. However, the video footage contradicts this statement, as one of the employees is seen agreeing with the graffiti’s message on camera. The employees also repeatedly told the woman to “Free Palestine” until she left.
During the exchange, the woman expressed her desire to use the restroom, but the employees insisted she leave, citing the establishment’s private property status. Eventually, another person from a neighboring business offered to let the woman use their restroom. However, she insisted on using the coffee shop’s restroom and argued that she should not be excluded while others were allowed access.
After the repeated refusals, one of the employees finally allowed the woman to use their other restroom. Inside, she recorded graffiti on the mirror frame that said “Zionism = fascism.” The first employee shouted, “History doesn’t start in 1948, lady,” referring to the establishment of the state of Israel. Additionally, a message on the baby changing station accused “neutrality” of enabling “genocide” and called for “Free Palestine.”
Farley’s Coffee later posted a statement on Instagram, apologizing for the incident and explaining that they had removed the offensive graffiti. They emphasized that they do not support hate speech and value diversity and inclusivity. The coffee shop acknowledged that their staff mishandled the situation and committed to ongoing staff training to provide a safe and welcoming environment.
The incident has sparked controversy and raised concerns about antisemitism. Farley’s Coffee has not responded to requests for comment at the time of writing.
In conclusion, the video showing a Jewish woman being blocked from using a restroom at Farley’s Coffee due to anti-Israel comments has led to an apology from the coffee shop. The incident has highlighted the issue of hate speech and raised questions about the coffee shop’s commitment to inclusivity.
