Second Cup Canada is moving to shut down a franchisee’s cafés located in Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital after they claim the franchisee was filmed apparently chanting the “Final Solution is coming your way” referencing Nazi Germany’s slaughter of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust.
Footage that appears to have been recorded at a Thursday protest at Concordia University also shows a woman performing the Nazi salute.
Second Cup Canada president Peter Mammas told Global News the company verified the woman in the video is Mai Abdulhadi, who owns two Second Cup locations inside 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, saying that employees who work at Abdulhadi’s cafés and Second Cup Canada employees who visit the sites confirmed it was her.
Global News has not independently verified the identity of the woman in the video.
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Global News made several attempts to contact Abdulhadi but did not receive a response by deadline.
The Integrated University Health and Social Service Centres (CIUSSS), Quebec’s health care provider, said it was made aware of a video containing “antisemitic (sic) and hateful messaging” on social media.
“This video is related to a franchisee of Second Cup, one of the private tenants operating within the Jewish General Hospital,” the statement said.
“We fully support Second Cup’s decision to take swift and decisive action in this matter by shutting down the franchisee’s cafes and terminating their lease agreement.”
The Canadian Jewish Association told Global News one of its members filmed the Final Solution chant on Thursday.
Second Cup issued a statement outlining its actions on Saturday evening and spoke to Global News on Sunday.
Mammas said the company has the right to protect the brand and protect other franchisees and brand values. He told Global News Second Cup Canada’s lawyers would contact Abdulhadi’s legal representatives on Monday.
Montreal police told Global News they’re not aware of any case opened at the hate crimes unit.
Montreal Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos told Global News that he was glad to see “there are corporations like the parent company of Second Cup that has the… fortitude and integrity to stand up for what’s right.”
Anti-NATO protests in Montreal continued Saturday after a violent demonstration on Friday, where two groups met up and some participants smashed windows and burned cars. Police arrested three people and have promised more arrests to come.
Multiple social media posts appear to show one person burning an effigy with “(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu to The Hague” written on it.
Canadian politicians condemned the violence and anti-Semitism.
“The voices of anti-Semitism, of hate, of violence, Nazi salutes, calling death to Jews, it’s deplorable. It’s unacceptable. It has to stop,” Housakos said, speaking of some of the sentiments expressed over the past few days in Montreal.
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