A California Jewish man was kicked out of a coffee shop for wearing a ‘violent’ Star of David hat.
Jonathan Hirsch filmed as he was asked to leave the Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland on Saturday.
The owner could be seen referring to Hirsch’s headwear as a, ‘violent hat’ before ordering him to leave for causing a disturbance.
The café describes itself as, ‘a truly welcoming abode to our people of Palestine, Oakland, the Bay Area and beyond’ which frequently hold Gaza solidarity events.
‘I wear this hat all the time,’ Hirsch told KTVU. ‘I mean, I’ve had this hat for years. And it means a lot to me. It’s meant a lot more over the last year.’
Jonathan Hirsch was kicked out of an Oakland coffee shop for wearing a ‘violent’ Star of David hat
He explained he entered the premises because his five-year-old son needed the bathroom and his wife wanted to buy a coffee.
‘I wasn’t going out looking for a fight,’ Hirsch added. ‘But when someone comes up to me fighting I can’t teach my son that Jews are these meek people that run and cower.’
The footage shows Hirsch mid-confrontation with the owner who repeatedly asks him to leave.
‘You’re being asked to leave. You’re causing a disruption. This is a private business. You’re being asked to leave,’ the owner says.
‘This gentleman asked me to leave because of my hat,’ Hirsch responds.
The owner then say, ‘This is a violent hat, and you need to leave’ to an incredulous Hirsch.
The owner then demands to know if the dad is a Zionist, but he refuses to respond.
Things escalate when Hirsch invites the owner to call the police.
The owner of the Jerusalem Coffee House could be seen referring to Hirsch’s headwear as a, ‘violent hat’ before ordering him to leave for causing a disturbance
‘The police will come and they will educate him that what he’s doing is wrong and that he’s ignorant,’ Hirsch can be heard saying.
After the cops arrive, the owner is seen taunting Hirsch even further by stating, ‘I love Jewish people’ and blowing a kiss.
The police then asked Hirsch to leave, advising that he could be prosecuted for trespassing if he remains.
Hirsch is now mulling legal action after several experts concurred that the incident appeared to be an example of anti-Semitic discrimination.
‘I’m interested in doing justice here, and if the city can’t remedy this, I’m willing to pursue whatever avenues I have,’ Hirsch said.
The owner declined to talk to KTVU, telling the outlet: ‘Talking to the media is like talking to the police.’
Police advised Hirsch to leave and warned he could be accused of trespassing if he stayed
The Jerusalem Coffee House is a Palestinian establishment which stages solidarity events for Gaza
DailyMail.com has also contacted the café for comment.
The establishment previously courted controversy after it sold a drink called, Iced in Tea Fada, named after ‘intifada’ or the Arabic word to describe Palestinian uprising.
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