Court orders owner of California cafe that served 'Sweet Sinwar' drink to pay $59,000
According to the lawsuit, three employees forced the a man out into the street, calling him "Jew" and "Zionist" after he came in with a hat bearing a Star of David and an Am Yisrael Chai shirt.
A federal court in Northern California has ordered the owner of Jerusalem Coffee House in Oakland, Abd al-Rahim Harara, to pay plaintiff Michael R. Addis $59,000. This sanction, issued by Judge Thomas Hixson, is a result of Harara's repeated violations of court orders during the pretrial exchange of evidence. The financial penalty covers the expenses incurred by Addis due to Harara's non-compliance with the orders.
Harara was given 30 days to pay the amount, which is aimed at enforcing his adherence to the court's directives. The judge criticized Addis' lawyers for aggressive litigation and high costs, but did not rule in favor of Harara's sanctions as he found that the available evidence would still allow for a fair trial. The case has not yet addressed the allegations of discrimination made by Addis, who entered the cafe wearing a Star of David hat and was allegedly forced out by Harara and another employee.
Addis also alleges that Harara and another employee followed him into the street, called him derogatory names, and threatened him. However, the court has not yet ruled on these allegations. The cafe's menu has also been part of the case, with the US Justice Department citing drinks named "Sweet Sinwar" and "Iced In Tea Fada" as evidence of discrimination.
The business faces three lawsuits in total, including one from Addis, one from Jonathan Hirsch, and one from the Justice Department.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
