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

Second Cup Canada has cut ties with its franchisee at Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital after the franchisee was spotted allegedly making hateful gestures during a pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO protest that resulted in a riot on Nov. 22.
“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 decision came after Peter Mammas, CEO of Montreal-based Foodtastic, which owns Second Cup Canada, confirmed with operations staff and employees that a woman seen in a video allegedly making hateful gestures and comments on Nov. 22 is a franchisee of the coffee chain.
The videos show the woman allegedly making a Nazi salute and walking around Concordia University’s downtown Montreal campus saying “final solution is coming your way”—wording used by the Nazis to eliminate Jewish people during WWII.
The specialty coffee retailer said 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.”
The coffee chain said it will continue paying the staff “until the location at the Jewish General Hospital reopens under new management.”
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.