Brooklyn Coffee Shop Refuses Service to Congressman, Deletes Instagram Account

A Brooklyn coffee shop posted on social media that it would not serve Democratic New York Rep. Dan Goldman because it does not serve "racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers or anyone in between." The post included a photo of Goldman at the register and a photo of a $9.82 refund issued to him. It also stated the shop would have turned him away if staff had recognized him earlier.

The post read in part: "Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee. Do you see how it doesn't taste like genocide juice?" The shop accompanied the post with the song "Fuck You" by Lily Allen. The coffee shop later deleted its Instagram account after the post went viral, according to CNN.

Goldman said he had a positive interaction with a barista who allowed his daughter to use the bathroom and that he bought coffee and left a large tip. He described the later refusal as a reflection of a sad state of affairs. Goldman is running in Tuesday's Democratic primary for New York's Tenth Congressional District against former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

The Department of Justice Civil Rights

Division announced it had opened an investigation into the coffee shop. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon stated that federal law prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against patrons based on race, religion, or national origin.

The same statement said the division will bring an enforcement action if warranted. Journalist Glenn Greenwald posted on X questioning whether the investigation was consistent with earlier cases involving businesses that refused service based on their beliefs.