A coffee shop in New York City named Poetica Coffee has come under fire after declaring a Democratic congressman unwelcome due to his pro-Israel views. The coffee shop shared the incident in a controversial Facebook post.

On Sunday, Poetica Coffee posted a photo of Representative Dan Goldman visiting one of its locations in Brooklyn. The post, which included a refund of Goldman’s $9.82 purchase, inferred that his business was unwelcome due to his stance on Israel. Poetica Coffee stated, “We don’t serve racists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between.” They expressed regret they didn’t recognize him earlier to refuse service.

This move has drawn criticism, including a statement from Poetica wishing Goldman a loss in the intense Democratic primary fight in New York’s 10th Congressional District. The coffee shop, once praised for friendly service, is now facing a deluge of one-star reviews from those condemning their actions.

Yelp intervened by temporarily disabling review submissions for Poetica Coffee. Yelp emphasized that all reviews must stem from first-hand experiences, amidst increased attention and public commentary on the issue.

“While activity or content supporting racism, discrimination, or bigotry have no place on Yelp,” the statement declared, “all reviews on Yelp must reflect an actual first-hand consumer experience.”

Amidst the uproar, Poetica Coffee has shared alleged death threats on its Instagram page, although the account has since been deactivated.

Goldman responded to the post, noting the kindness of the barista during his visit, as they allowed his daughter to use the restroom without a purchase. He expressed the hope that the barista would receive the tip left for her service.

Criticism of Poetica came from Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York. Treyger stated it was “shameful and hateful” to assign blame over disagreements with Middle Eastern policies, labeling it as antisemitism.

The situation escalated as it prompted a response from the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. They announced the launch of an investigation into Poetica Coffee. The investigation seeks to determine if any enforcement actions are needed.

Both Poetica Coffee and Goldman were contacted for further comments; a staff member stated, “No comment. We stand against genocide.”