A radical Brooklyn coffee shop is facing growing backlash after publicly humiliating Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), branding him a “genocide enabler,” issuing him a refund after the fact, and effectively banning him from returning because of his support for Israel.
The controversy erupted after Poetica Coffee, a Park Slope café, posted a photo of Goldman on Instagram following a visit to the shop with his daughter.
“Hey Congressman Dan Goldman, we see that you stopped by our shop today for a coffee,” the business wrote. “Do you see how it doesn’t taste like genocide juice? Or are you still having a hard time telling the difference?”
The shop escalated further:
“See, here at Poetica, we don’t serve racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between. Too bad we didn’t recognize you right away, or we would have turned you away. We issued you a refund — we don’t need your money (it’s probably coming from AIPAC anyways). Enjoy your loss on Tuesday. Don’t ever come to Poetica.”
The post quickly triggered outrage across social media, with critics accusing the business of targeting a customer based on his political views and support for Israel.
The backlash intensified after Goldman revealed the interaction inside the coffee shop had been entirely cordial.
Appearing on CNN with Laura Coates, Goldman described the incident as “really sad” and a reflection of the toxic state of modern political discourse.
“What is going on in the Middle East is horrific. And the idea of accusing someone who you don’t know of supporting a genocide — I mean, it’s crazy,” Goldman said. “Now, I may disagree as to whether or not there’s a genocide, but come on. We’re better than this.”
Goldman explained that he had stopped at the shop after a staff member kindly allowed his daughter to use the restroom. He purchased a coffee and left what he described as a “large tip.”
“I honestly was so grateful for her kindness,” Goldman said.
The congressman noted that the employee, who was wearing a hijab, “couldn’t have been nicer,” making the shop’s subsequent attack all the more surprising.
“It was diametrically opposed to that post,” Goldman said, adding that the encounter reflected how Americans from different backgrounds can still treat each other with respect despite political disagreements.
The incident has now attracted the attention of the Justice Department.
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, announced that federal officials have opened an investigation into the matter.
“Federal law prohibits public accommodations such as coffee shops from discriminating against patrons based on their race, religion, or national origin,” Dhillon wrote. “These actions are not only reprehensible, they’re potentially illegal.”
Dhillon said the department would pursue enforcement action if warranted by the investigation.
The controversy has also shined a spotlight on Poetica Coffee founder Parviz Mukhamadkulov, whose social media history reveals a pattern of extreme anti-Israel rhetoric.
According to reporting by the New York Post, Mukhamadkulov has repeatedly used LinkedIn comment threads to attack Israel, accuse the Jewish state of genocide, and justify reactions to the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks.
In one exchange highlighted by the Post, Mukhamadkulov declared that “Israel is the Nazi Germany of current time.”
The Post reported that Mukhamadkulov routinely inserted himself into discussions about Israel, Hamas, and the war in Gaza, frequently accusing Israel of atrocities while dismissing concerns raised about Hamas’ October 7 massacre.
Those revelations have fueled criticism that Poetica’s treatment of Goldman was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of hostility toward supporters of Israel.
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