Oakland Coffee House Sued by DOJ Over Alleged Discrimination Against Jewish Patrons

Oakland, California – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Jerusalem Coffee House and its owners, Fathi Abdulrahim Harara and Native Grounds LLC, alleging discrimination against Jewish customers. The lawsuit, filed in June 2025, claims the establishment violated Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by refusing service to individuals based on their religion. The coffee house recently reported being vandalized, an incident it attributed to "Zionists" via social media.

According to the DOJ complaint, there were at least two separate incidents where Jewish customers, identified by wearing baseball caps with the Star of David, were allegedly asked to leave. In one instance, a customer was told, > "You’re the guy with the hat. You’re the Jew. You’re the Zionist. We don’t want you in our coffee shop. Get out." Another incident involved owner Abdulrahim Harara reportedly accusing a Jewish customer and his five-year-old son of being "Zionists" and supporting "genocide," demanding they depart the premises.

The lawsuit further highlights the coffee house's alleged controversial practices, including the announcement of drinks named "Iced In Tea Fada" and "Sweet Sinwar" on the one-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Additionally, the complaint notes the display of inverted red triangles on the coffee house's exterior, a symbol associated with anti-Semitic attacks. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated, "It is illegal, intolerable, and reprehensible for any American business open to the public to refuse to serve Jewish customers."

In response to the allegations, attorneys for Harara have described the lawsuit as a "political stunt" aimed at silencing pro-Palestinian voices. They claim the incidents were "staged attempts to incite and provoke." Harara himself stated the cafe has faced "unprecedented harassment and oppression" over the past two years.

This legal battle unfolds amidst broader tensions, exacerbated by a recent vandalism incident at the coffee house in early October 2025, where a front window was smashed. The Jerusalem Coffee House posted on Instagram, stating, > "zionists can break every window, vandalize our business as many times as they like. But they’ll never have the courage to confront us head on." The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) Bay Area condemned the vandalism but also noted the coffee house's ongoing lawsuit for alleged civil rights violations, calling the accusation against "Zionists" without evidence and part of antisemitic rhetoric.