American man slams Poetica boycott movement

Poetica Coffee, a small chain operating several locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn, drew widespread attention after publicly denying service to U.S. Representative Dan Goldman, a Democrat from New York's 10th congressional district. In a since-deleted Instagram post, the company stated it does not serve racists, fascists, homophobes, or genocide enablers, telling the congressman not to return and confirming his purchase had been refunded.

The post prompted a swift response from the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, which announced it was investigating the incident as a potential violation of federal public accommodation laws. Goldman, who describes himself as a "liberal Zionist" and has previously criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was not seeking the investigation and suggested federal resources would be better used elsewhere.

The incident triggered protests and counter-protests outside Poetica's Williamsburg location, organized in part by the advocacy group #EndJewHatred. The shop's owner said he had received death threats following the backlash, while Yelp temporarily paused reviews on the business's page after a surge of activity tied to the controversy.