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Montreal coffee chain terminates franchise owner after Nazi theatrics

The owner was filmed raising her arm in a Nazi salute while threatening counter-protesters with ‘the final solution.’

By Jewish Breaking News

A Montreal coffee shop owner’s career went up in flames Saturday when footage emerged of her performing Nazi salutes and spouting antisemitic threats went viral.

Second Cup Coffee, one of Canada’s largest coffee chains, terminated the franchise owner’s contract after videos surfaced showing her unleashing a disturbing tirade at an anti-Israel demonstration outside Concordia University.

The owner, who ran two cafe locations inside Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital, was filmed raising her arm in a Nazi salute while threatening counter-protesters with “the final solution.”

Second Cup moved quickly to distance itself from the owner, announcing that both coffee shops will be closed immediately, and existing staff would keep their jobs when the locations reopen under new management.

“We are completely against hate speech and anything that would incite violence,” CEO Peter Mammas wrote on X. “We believe that everyone has the right to voice their opinions, but in a respectful and productive way.”

CIUSSS West-Central Montreal, the Jewish General Hospital’s parent organization, backed the coffee chain’s firm action.

“We fully support Second Cup’s decision to take swift and decisive action in this matter by shutting down the franchisee’s cafés and terminating their lease agreement.”

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Still, the franchise owner’s Nazi theatrics proved to be just the opening act in a week of chaos, as protesters went on to torch vehicles and shatter storefronts on Thursday in an anti-Israel rampage that had city officials scrambling to contain the escalating violence.

Local Jewish leaders are pointing fingers at Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, accusing her of letting antisemitic protests run wild in the streets.

“That creates an atmosphere that is horrendous, and that creates an atmosphere in which we saw someone walking around showing the Heil Hitler sign and saying that the final solution is soon,” B’nai Brith Canada’s director Henry Topas tells CBC.

“It is unacceptable what has been tolerated to be demonstrated and shown to the people of Montreal.”