Oakland Cafe in federal crosshairs hit with vandalism

"The cafe's Instagram account posted photos of the shattered window, and a press release issued by the cafe described the apparent act of vandalism as "an attempt to intimidate him" - Harara - "and his community that openly condemn the genocide of the Palestinian people." "The incident follows a year-long spate of harassment the cafe has endured including hate mail, digital smear campaigns and legal attacks," the statement says."

"The incident occurred roughly the day before the two-year anniversary of the Hamas assault on Israel that ended with some 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 captured. Israeli attacks on Gaza in the two years since have killed 67,000 and wounded nearly 170,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Experts say the true toll may be significantly higher. Harara, who is Palestinian, has become a vocal critic of Israel's ongoing military assault, which the United Nations has determined is a genocide against Palestinians."

Someone shattered the front window of the Jerusalem Coffee House on Telegraph Avenue early Monday, spraying glass on the sidewalk and inside the cafe. Owner Abdulrahim Harara runs the two-year-old business and faces multiple lawsuits from Jewish organizations and the Department of Justice. The Oakland Police Department is investigating and identified the incident as occurring between 11 p.m. on Oct. 5 and 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, with an individual using an object to vandalize the property before fleeing. The incident follows a year-long series of harassment including hate mail, digital smear campaigns and legal attacks. Harara, who is Palestinian, has used the cafe for art exhibits and benefits to educate Oaklanders about Gaza and to raise funds for Palestinians displaced or trapped by the war. The event occurred near the two-year anniversary of a Hamas attack that killed about 1,200 Israelis and captured 251, amid Israeli strikes that Gaza health authorities report have killed 67,000 and wounded nearly 170,000; the United Nations has determined the assault on Palestinians to be a genocide.

Read at The Oaklandside