Unacceptable
UK Barista Fired After Swastika Appears in Jewish Customer's Coffee Froth at London Cafe
In a shocking display of hatred at a London cafe, a trainee barista was fired on the spot for etching a swastika into a Jewish customer's coffee froth, proving once again that antisemitism has no place in our society.
A 19-year-old trainee barista at The Coffee Cup cafe in Hampstead, north London, was dismissed on the spot after a Jewish customer reported seeing a swastika-shaped design in the cocoa powder froth on his wife's cappuccino, as reported by UK outlet Jewish News.
The customer, a 45-year-old father of two who wished to remain anonymous, told Jewish News that he and his wife were enjoying a casual outing when the drink arrived. "My wife ordered a cappuccino, and when it arrived, I saw it and said, ‘Surely that is a swastika?’" he recounted.
Not wanting to cause a scene, he quietly alerted the manager, Bekim Haradini, pointing out that the family is visibly Jewish and found the symbol deeply offensive.
Haradini, the general manager, immediately investigated, took a photograph of the drink, and apologized profusely to the couple. "This has never happened before. I was really upset. I fired him," Haradini said, adding that the barista, reportedly named Mesut, began crying and shaking but was let go regardless.
He stressed his intent to show Jewish customers that such acts would not be tolerated, stating, "I did take immediate action. I kicked him out straight away."
The barista claimed the design was unintentional and that he was unaware of the swastika's historical significance as a Nazi symbol associated with the Holocaust.
However, the customer expressed doubt, noting in interviews that even if accidental, it warranted dismissal as a lesson in the power of symbols. "If it was intentional he deserved to be fired, and if it was accidental, he still deserved to be fired as a harsh lesson because symbols have meaning," one social media commenter echoed.
Critics on social media also highlighted a perceived reluctance to label it definitively as a hate crime, with one post noting how parties involved "bend over backwards to make the case that it might have been a mistake.
The Coffee Cup, a popular local spot, has been reassured by the affected customer that the management's handling restored their confidence.
This event echoes other recent cases of symbolic hate in public spaces, such as graffiti incidents, but stands out for the immediate employer response. As one observer put it, "Glad they were fired. No more of this."