Second Cup Shuts Down Montreal Cafe Over Franchisee’s Hate Gesture During Anti-Israel Riot

A cup of coffee is shown at a Second Cup Coffee outlet in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Chris Young

Second Cup Café has shut down its store at a Jewish hospital in Montreal after the franchisee was spotted making hateful gestures during a pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO protest that resulted in a riot on Friday night, Nov. 22.

“Last night, our franchisee at the Jewish General Hospital was filmed making hateful remarks and gestures,” Second Cup said in a statement published on social media platform X on Nov. 23.

“This franchisee’s actions are not only a breach of our franchise agreement, but they also violate the values of inclusion and community we stand for at Second Cup.”

The specialty coffee retailer added that it has “zero tolerance for hate speech.”

“In coordination with the hospital, we’ve shut down the franchisee’s cafe and are terminating their franchise agreement.”

Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights lawyer and activist against anti-Semitism, said that the franchise owner was a woman wearing a keffiyeh performing the “Heil Hitler” Nazi salute during the Montreal riot on Nov. 22. The Epoch Times contacted Second Cup to confirm the identity of the franchise owner, but didn’t hear back by publication time.

Conservative Senator Leo Housakos, who represents Quebec, praised Second Cup for taking “a principled stand at risk to their own business.”

“In so doing, they are showing the courage and leadership [Canada] needs right now but is so desperately lacking from those in the highest of public offices,” he said on X on Nov. 23.

On Nov. 22, pro-Palestine rioters set cars ablaze and smashed windows of buildings on the first night of a NATO conference being held at the convention centre in downtown Montreal from Nov. 22 to 25. Some 300 delegates from NATO member and partner countries are expected to attend the meeting, says a news release.

Smoke bombs were deployed and metal barriers were tossed into the street during the march, Montreal police said. The protesters also smashed windows of the convention centre and nearby businesses. Police said three arrests have been made and that they expect to make more arrests.

Montreal police arrested three people, and said more arrests would be forthcoming.

Politicians condemned acts of anti-Semitism during the riots.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said what unfolded was “appalling.”

“Acts of antisemitism, intimidation, and violence must be condemned wherever we see them,” Trudeau said.

“The violent and hateful scenes we witnessed last night in the streets of Montreal, with attacks specifically targeting the Jewish community, are unacceptable,” Quebec Premier François Legault also condemned the violence said on Nov. 23.

“Burning cars and smashing windows is not sending a message, it is causing chaos. Such acts have no place in a peaceful society like Quebec.”

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said the riots had no place in her city.

“The excesses of the demonstration last night are shocking and have no place in a peaceful metropolis like Montreal. Neither chaos, violence nor trouble towards merchants are tolerated and I thank the [Montreal Police] who made several arrests yesterday,” she said in a Nov. 23 post on X.

Chandra Philip and The Canadian Press contributed to this report.