A trainee barista at a café in Hampstead has been dismissed after a Jewish customer reported that a swastika appeared to have been formed in the froth of his wife’s coffee. Although CCTV footage later found no evidence of deliberate intent, the café’s management said it acted immediately to uphold a zero-tolerance approach to hate symbols, reports Jewish News.
The incident took place on Sunday morning at The Coffee Cup on Hampstead High Street. A Jewish father of two, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was having breakfast with his family when his wife’s cappuccino was served with a cocoa pattern that appeared to resemble a swastika. He said he did not want to cause a public scene but felt compelled to alert staff because of the symbol’s meaning.
After calling over the manager, the customer explained that he and his family were Jewish and that the symbol was deeply offensive. He said the manager was immediately “mortified” and took the matter seriously. The general manager, Bekim Haradini, photographed the coffee and apologised to the family, saying he did not believe there had been malicious intent.
According to Haradini, the drink had been prepared by a 19-year-old trainee barista who said he was attempting to create a decorative swirl and claimed he did not recognise the symbol. Haradini said the café had never experienced a similar incident and that the trainee had previously been seen making floral designs in coffee froth.
Despite this, Haradini decided to dismiss the barista on the spot. Confirming the decision, he said the symbol was unacceptable regardless of intent and that he could not tolerate its appearance in the café. In a message later sent to the trainee, Haradini wrote that while he believed the act was unintentional, he could not overlook the seriousness of the image.
Jewish News reviewed CCTV footage of the coffee being prepared and found no indication that the symbol was created deliberately. The customer said he had not demanded that the barista be fired, but wanted a clear acknowledgement that such imagery was unacceptable. He said the café’s response reassured him and his family.
“Symbols carry weight whether we like it or not,” the customer said. He added that he would not hesitate to return to the café and thanked the management for treating the incident with seriousness and respect.
The Coffee Cup has operated on Hampstead High Street since 1954.
Phot credit: Image via Facebook
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