Justice Department Sues Oakland Café Over Jewish Customer Discrimination

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Fathi Abdulrahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC, owners of the Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, California, for allegedly refusing service and harassing Jewish customers, in violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The lawsuit details multiple incidents in 2024 where Jewish customers wearing Star of David hats were told to leave, called derogatory names, and accused of being Zionists and supporters of genocide. One incident involved Harara ordering a man and his young son to leave while falsely accusing them of trespassing and calling the police. The DOJ emphasized that such discrimination is illegal and intolerable, highlighting the department's commitment to combating antisemitism. The coffee shop owner also faced scrutiny for selling a drink named after a Hamas leader, which he denied was related. These events have drawn condemnation from California officials and are part of broader efforts by the current administration to address antisemitism nationwide.