Owners of Farley's Coffee in Oakland, California, have fired employees involved in an altercation with a Jewish woman after a video surfaced showing them blocking her from a bathroom and making anti-Israel comments. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, prompted the owners, Amy and Chris Hillyard, to issue an apology on Friday, acknowledging that they had fallen short of their vision of creating a welcoming and safe environment. They emphasized that acts of hate would not be tolerated in their business and stated that the employees involved were no longer employed by Farley's.

The video, recorded by the customer, captured three employees standing between her and the bathroom door. The customer had previously entered the restroom and wanted to re-enter to document anti-Semitic graffiti. The employees allegedly wanted to prevent her from recording the graffiti, which displayed messages such as "Zionism = fascism" on the mirror and "Your neutrality/apathy is enabling genocide" on the diaper-changing station. Additionally, the employees accused the woman of “misgendering” one of their coworkers.

After allowing the customer into the bathroom, the employees can be heard shouting remarks such as "History didn't start in 1948, lady" and "Free Palestine." These comments further escalated the tension between the employees and the customer. In their initial apology statement, Farley's Coffee insisted that they were not anti-Semitic and promised to implement ongoing staff training to prevent similar incidents in the future. The company expressed its commitment to working with community leaders and organizations to ensure a peaceful coexistence.

While the coffee shop's statement referred to the graffiti as "hate speech," the video revealed that one of the employees agreed with the sentiment equating Zionism to fascism. The employees also told the woman, "Free Palestine," and refused to allow her access to the restroom. Eventually, another individual from a neighboring establishment offered her the use of their restroom. Despite this, the customer insisted on using the restroom at Farley's Coffee, arguing that she should not be excluded while others were allowed access.

Following the incident, Farley's Coffee took immediate action, removing the offensive graffiti and taking corrective measures with their staff. In their Instagram statement, the coffee shop expressed regret for the poor handling of the situation and the distress caused to the customer. They reassured the public that they were not anti-Semitic, valuing diversity and inclusivity. The owners also emphasized their commitment to ongoing staff training to maintain a safe and welcoming environment.

Fox News Digital reached out to San Francisco Mayor London Breed for comment but did not receive a response. The incident highlights the importance of addressing and combating anti-Semitism, as acts like these perpetuate fear within the Jewish community and contribute to the rise of anti-Semitism globally.