Second Cup Closes Montreal Franchise Over Disturbing Hate Speech Incident

Second Cup Café Closes Franchise in Montreal Over Hate Speech Allegations

Second Cup Café shut down a franchise at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal due to hateful remarks made by the franchisee during a pro-Palestinian protest. The protest took place on Thursday, and a video of the incident circulated widely online.

The coffee chain released a statement saying the franchisee’s actions violated their values of inclusion and community. The company emphasized, “Second Cup has zero tolerance for hate speech.” They coordinated with the hospital for the franchise shutdown and are terminating the franchise agreement.

The video shows a woman, identified as Mai Abdulhadi, chanting “the final solution is coming your way” while wearing a keffiyeh and black sunglasses. The woman also appears to give a Nazi salute.

Peter Mammas, president of Foodtastic, Second Cup’s parent company, stated they were made aware of the video on Saturday. He contacted the hospital’s president to discuss the situation and confirmed they would take appropriate action.

The CIUSSS West-Central Montreal, which oversees the Jewish General Hospital, supported Second Cup’s decision. They expressed a commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and standing against anti-Semitism and hate speech.

Second Cup announced it will continue to pay the franchise staff until new management takes over the café.

Mai Abdulhadi has not commented, and her social media accounts are disabled. The protest at Concordia University coincided with student demands for divestment from companies with ties to Israel and to end the siege on Gaza.

On Friday, three protesters were arrested during an anti-NATO protest that turned violent, resulting in broken windows and vehicles set on fire. All three suspects, ages 22 and 28, were charged and later released. More arrests may follow.

Political leaders from various parties condemned the violence at the protest.