Reem’s California is a San Francisco bakery that refused to serve a police officer at its Mission District cafe. The San Francisco police union is blasting the establishment, accusing it of “anti-police bigotry.”
The bakery has a policy that bans firearms from its restaurants, including police officers in uniform. Their policy is a strict one.
“In a time of increased gun violence—particularly impacting people of color, youth and queer people—we believe that maintaining a strict policy of prohibiting guns in our restaurant keeps us safer,” said Bertha Greene, director of people and culture at Reem’s California.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association (SPOA) is pushing back and posted on X (formerly Twitter) that an officer was denied service at the Mission Street Reem’s California. The reason was because he was in uniform. He was told there was a policy against serving anyone “armed and in uniform.”
NO COPS ALLOWED. That’s the confirmed policy of the bakery chain Reem’s. One of our officers was denied service last weekend because he was in uniform. Reem’s confirms that they will not serve anyone armed and in uniform. Presumably, this includes members of the US Military. pic.twitter.com/0cDzEV0D68
— San Francisco POA (@SanFranciscoPOA) August 24, 2023
The Mission Street cafe has been temporarily closed since August 18. It will reopen on September 5. The refusal of service would have predated the incident. A spokesperson for the cafe confirmed what happened, calling it “a polite interaction.”
“[It] was a polite interaction between our staff and the police officer, where our staff member explained Reem’s policy, and explained that all officers are welcome to come to the establishment when they are unarmed and/or off duty,” Greene said.
Come back when you don’t look like a cop, police officers. Wow.
One black Oakland resident was quoted saying he supports the cafe’s policy because he is triggered by the sight of uniformed police, having been followed and threatened by one, he said.
The police department said it remains committed to the city’s public safety needs. It’s not the first run-in the police union has had with a local business.
The San Francisco Police Department said in an emailed statement Friday that “while businesses have the right, within the constraints of the law, to decide who they will and will not serve, the San Francisco Police Department remains steadfast in its commitment to meeting the public safety needs of ALL residents, businesses and visitors to our city no matter who they are.”
The police union has called out local businesses before. In November, SoMa’s Pizza Squared drew the union’s ire after a cashier refused to serve police officers. The Detroit-style pizza shop later fired the cashier.
The officer who was refused service was reportedly coming off a 16-hour shift and working overtime at a car show.
SPOA president said it’s time to cut the bullsh**. Obviously, the policy was written with the police in mind.
“Let’s just put all kidding aside — that’s directed at police officers,” SPOA President Lt. Tracy McCray told Fox News Digital. “Because who do you see visible most of the time? So, just cut out the bulls–, just say what you mean, and we can move on.”
McCray asked the bakery and cafe to put up a sign spelling out the policy so police officers would know not to frequent the business. And she wondered how the policy is enforced. Do they ask every customer coming in the door if they are armed? Why should they spend their money in a place that doesn’t want their business?
We are not asking Reem’s or any business with a bigoted policy to serve our officers. We’re asking them to own their discriminatory policy & and put up a sign so we know not to spend money in your establishment—on or off duty. We took the liberty of designing one for them. pic.twitter.com/aITQFLOFG0
— San Francisco POA (@SanFranciscoPOA) August 24, 2023
Good for the police union for speaking out. The people that protect and defend a community deserve better than that. Let Reem’s publicly own their anti-gun and uniform discrimination.
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