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US Justice Department Investigates New York Coffee Shop That Banned Congressman Over Israel Support

Goldman described his encounter at the café and rejected the accusation that he supports genocide.

US Justice Department Investigates New York Coffee Shop That Banned Congressman Over Israel Support
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This article1 analysis · Oct 5, 2026
tl;dr

The Justice Department said it opened a civil-rights investigation into Brooklyn’s Poetica Coffee after the shop publicly condemned Rep. Dan Goldman over his support for Israel and said it should have refused him service. The article also connects the dispute to Goldman’s New York Democratic primary against Brad Lander, describing Lander’s criticism of Israel and his lead in a poll.

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New York representative criticized by the coffee shop and interviewed about the incident

PRIMARY SUBJECT

Goldman’s Democratic primary opponent in New York’s 10th Congressional District

Lander's version of this story ↗
Ilhan Omar
D · MN-5

Representative whom Lander said he hoped to partner with in Congress

Rashida Tlaib
D · MI-12

Representative whom Lander said he hoped to partner with in Congress

ALSO MENTIONED  Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister discussed in Goldman’s comments; Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division

Part of a bigger story

20 OUTLETS
DOJ Investigates Brooklyn Coffee Shop After Post About Rep. Dan Goldman

Outlets agree that the Justice Department opened an investigation into a Brooklyn coffee shop after it said it would have refused service to Rep. Dan Goldman over his support for Israel. Left-leaning outlets frame the investigation as raising questions about U.S. defense of Israel. Center outlets mainly recount the shop’s post, Goldman’s response and the investigation, sometimes connecting the dispute to his primary. Right-leaning outlets stress the shop’s stated refusal and federal scrutiny, with some also focusing on protests, Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s response or the primary result.

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