Second Cup at Montreal Jewish hospital shut down over alleged Nazi salute

Second Cup Canada is taking steps to close down a franchisee’s cafés in Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital after the franchisee was allegedly caught on video chanting “Final Solution is coming your way,” a reference to Nazi Germany’s genocide of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Footage from a protest at Concordia University also shows a woman performing the Nazi salute.

Second Cup Canada president Peter Mammas confirmed that the woman in the video is Mai Abdulhadi, who owns two Second Cup locations within the hospital.

“We spoke to a lot of employees and they confirmed to us that, yes, it was her in the videos,” Mammas said in a phone interview, noting that both café employees and Second Cup Canada employees verified her identity.

Global News has not independently confirmed the identity of the woman in the video.

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Global News attempted to contact Abdulhadi multiple times but did not receive a response before the deadline.

The Integrated University Health and Social Service Centres (CIUSSS), Quebec’s healthcare provider, stated that they were made aware of a video containing “antisemitic and hateful messaging” on social media.

“This video is connected to a Second Cup franchisee, one of the private tenants operating within the Jewish General Hospital,” the statement read.

“We fully support Second Cup’s decision to act swiftly and decisively in this matter by closing the franchisee’s cafés and ending their lease agreement,” the CIUSSS statement added.

The Canadian Jewish Association informed Global News that one of its members recorded the “Final Solution” chant on Thursday.

Second Cup released a statement detailing its actions on Saturday evening and spoke to Global News on Sunday.

Mammas stressed the company’s right to protect the brand and uphold the values of other franchisees. He mentioned that Second Cup Canada’s legal team would reach out to Abdulhadi’s lawyers on Monday.

Montreal police stated that they are not aware of any case opened at the hate crimes unit.

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Joly, Blair condemn violent anti-NATO protests in Montreal: ‘This was anarchy’

Montreal Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos expressed his approval of corporations like Second Cup’s parent company standing up for what is right.

Anti-NATO protests in Montreal persisted on Saturday following a violent demonstration on Friday, where two groups clashed resulting in smashed windows and burned cars. Three individuals were arrested by the police, with more arrests anticipated.

Several social media posts depict an individual burning an effigy with “Netanyahu to The Hague” written on it.

Canadian politicians denounced the violence and anti-Semitism.

Housakos condemned the expressions of anti-Semitism, hate, violence, Nazi salutes, and calls for death to Jews seen in Montreal recently, emphasizing that such behavior is deplorable and must cease.

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