Man sues Oakland cafe after being kicked out for wearing hat with religious symbol

OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland man has filed a lawsuit against a coffee shop, alleging religious discrimination and violation of his civil rights.

Altercation caught on video

What they're saying:

In the lawsuit, Jonathan Hirsh claims he and his 5-year-old son were confronted and removed from Jerusalem Coffee House in North Oakland in October because he was wearing a baseball cap displaying the Star of David.

According to the suit, Hirsh entered the coffee shop, ordered a latte, and took his son to use the restroom. Then they played chess while waiting for their drink.

Shortly after, the coffee shop owner "approached Mr. Hirsh and demanded to know if he was a 'Zionist,'" the suit alleges. Hirsh refused to answer and was told to leave, an incident captured on camera.

"You're being asked to leave. You're causing a disruption. This is a private business," the owner of the coffee shop, located at 54th Street and Telegraph Avenue, is heard saying.

Referring to Hirsh's hat, the owner said, "This is a violent hat, and you need to leave."

The lawsuit alleges the owner and an employee attempted to push Hirsh toward the exit and used verbal slurs.

Oakland police responded to the coffee shop, where the argument continued in front of officers.

The lawsuit states the coffee shop owner shouted, "F— Israel. F— Zionists," called Hirsh a "b—," and told Hirsh’s son, "Hey, your dad’s a b—. Your dad’s a b—."

Oakland police told Hirsh to leave the café and warned that if he returned, he could be arrested for trespassing.

"The anti-Semitism that Mr. Hirsch and his son experienced is utterly shocking, as was the Defendants’ ignorance of basic morality and the law," said attorney Omer Wiczyk, who is representing Hirsch. "In the United States of America, a business cannot refuse to serve someone because they are Jewish, or any other race, religion, or ethnicity. The fact that this needs to be said in 2025 is a frightening reminder of the growing anti-Semitism that far too many have experienced in recent years."

Dig deeper:

As the San Francisco Standard noted, Hirsh has been involved in past controversies, including loud public arguments with strangers over issues such as Israel and Palestine, local politics, and road rage. Hirsh told the Standard he did not provoke the incident at Jerusalem Coffee House and was not looking for a problem.

Hirsh is suing Jerusalem Coffee House and the East Bay Community Space, which leases the space to the coffee shop, for compensatory damages.

Jerusalem Coffee has not yet responded to KTVU's request for comment on the litigation.