BROOKLYN (VINnews)-A Brooklyn coffee shop whose owner publicly banned Rep. Dan Goldman, a Jewish Democrat, over his support for Israel is facing a barrage of health code violations, including evidence of rats and filth flies, as federal authorities investigate the incident as a potential civil rights violation.

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Poetica Coffee’s Brooklyn location has accumulated health violations every year since 2023, according to city records. A recent June 2026 inspection cited “filth flies” in food and non-food areas, an “improper, inadequate or unapproved” sewage disposal system, and “inadequate” staff personal cleanliness. Earlier inspections found rats and other sanitary failures.

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The violations come after owner Parviz Mukhamadkulov, an immigrant from Uzbekistan, posted a now-deleted social media tirade targeting Goldman. The post, which included a photo of the congressman inside the shop, claimed Poetica does not serve “racists, fascists, homophobes, genocide enablers, or anyone in between.” It referred to Goldman’s purchase as “genocide juice” and refunded his order, telling him never to return.

Goldman, who is Jewish and has been a vocal supporter of Israel, visited the shop with his 7-year-old daughter so she could use the restroom. He purchased a coffee as a thank-you to the barista, whom he described as polite.

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into the shop following the post. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that federal law prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against patrons based on race, religion or national origin.

Mukhamadkulov has since deleted the shop’s Instagram and X accounts. The business has also faced reports of significant unpaid state taxes.

On Wednesday, pro-Israel and Jewish protesters clashed with counter-protesters outside a Poetica Coffee location in Brooklyn. Demonstrators from groups like #EndJewHatred condemned the shop’s actions as discriminatory, while some counter-demonstrators, including members of the anti-Israel Neturei Karta sect, gathered in support of the café.

The controversy erupted amid a heated Democratic primary in New York’s 10th Congressional District, where Goldman’s support for Israel became a flashpoint. Goldman lost his bid for re-election Tuesday to Brad Lander, a Mamdani-backed challenger.

VINnews reached out to Poetica Coffee for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The shop’s health inspection history and the federal probe have drawn renewed scrutiny to the business amid ongoing tensions over antisemitism in New York City.