Evelyne Joan, the owner of the popular Mauro Café on Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, received some unflattering publicity this week after it was revealed that she participated in an anti-Israel protest outside of Adas Torah Synagogue on June 23. Joan was seen holding a megaphone and allegedly screaming at Jewish men and women who tried to enter the synagogue. That Sunday morning, a real estate convention was held there, selling apartments in Israel. Pro-Palestinian activists asked people to attend the event and claimed: “Racist settler expansionists aren’t welcome in LA!”
Canary Mission, a website that exposes people promoting hatred, posted a video of Joan and claimed she had yelled insults at a police officer with her megaphone. “Your mother would be ashamed of you. You beat women… What a shame! Shame! Shame on you…”
Things escalated quickly from there. On June 24, a post on Canary Mission’s Instagram page claimed that Joan spread antisemitism and refused to host an event for Jews and Israel.
A few days later a digital billboard truck drove by the restaurant with Joan’s face plastered on it and the caption: “Meet Evelyn Joan She blocks Jews from entering their temple but welcomes their money at Mauro Café”. There was also a video replaying what had happened outside of Adas Torah synagogue.
A group of men and women holding Israel and USA flags stood outside the restaurant and confronted the owner as she stood there with her arms crossed and a few employees next to her.
“Your Nazism knows no bounds,” one of the demonstrators yelled toward her. “If she went to a mosque you would be outraged. You are silent today, you are condoning her behavior. Mauro Café, Evelyne doesn’t demonstrates ever for any of the world atrocities committed within walking distance to Israel…… but when it comes to Jews, to a place of worship. Shame on you.”
On June 30 a man wearing a yarmulke was seen entering her restaurant and leaving after a few minutes, claiming he was refused service. “The owner, she said I cannot buy coffee,” he said upon leaving the restaurant. When another man asked him why, he replied: “Because I’m Jewish.”
On Sunday, June 30, a man wearing a yarmulke was seen entering her restaurant and leaving after a few minutes, claiming he was refused service apparently because he is Jewish.
A woman who appeared to be a waitress at the restaurant then asked them to leave the property.
Black and Jewish Unity, which posted the video on Instagram, wrote: “Last week, the owner of Mauro Café in West Hollywood [sic] blocked Jewish people from entering their place of worship. They were intimidated, harassed, and hospitalized by a mob of pro-Palestinian activists.”
One of the employees, who apparently felt bad about what happened, was seen in the video following the Jewish man and handing him a cup of coffee.
The restaurant is considered very popular by many celebs such as Paris Hilton, Selma Blair, Christina Millan, Jaden Smith, Zendaya, and Leonardo DiCaprio. It operates near Fred Segal’s famous clothing store on Melrose and Crescent Heights.
During Monday lunchtime, Mauro Café, which is usually packed with customers, seemed emptier than usual. A few demonstrators, one with an Israeli flag, stood outside the restaurant and explained to potential customers that it was a business whose owners openly display hatred of Jews and antisemitism.
The Jewish Journal tried to reach out to the owner for comment, but Joan wasn’t available.
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