California coffee shop refuses to serve police officers

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

If you’re a cop in Oakland, it’s not worth trying to go to Hasta Muerte Coffee.

The coffee shop and book store refused service to a uniformed police officer February 16 and is defending its policy because the California business believes "police presence compromises our feeling of physical and emotional safety."

Hasta Muerte Coffee posted to their Instagram page, writing on February 16th, an Oakland police officer entered the shop and was told quote "we have a policy of asking police to leave for the physical and emotional safety of our customers and ourselves. "

The department tweeted on Thursday that it "respects business owners right to serve anyone they choose" and that police officials along with other community members are "reaching out to the business to have constructive dialogue in our efforts to unite our community."

Responses from coffee shop personnel and those with the Oakland Police Department were unavailable.

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