A newly opened bakery owned by Gail’s in north west London has been targeted in two anti-Zionist attacks in the space of a week.
The coffee shop located on Junction Road in Archway was attacked for a second time on Tuesday night, with its windows smashed and red graffiti sprayed across its front doors.
This follows a similar attack that took place just five days earlier on February 19 - the night before the bakery chain opened its doors.
In both attacks, tags and phrases sprayed across the shop included “reject corporate Zionism”, “support local business”, and “boycott” in large letters across the logo. An anarchy symbol was also sprayed on the store.
A demonstration was held on the cafe’s opening day in protest of Gail’s coming to Archway. It replaced a Subway shop.
Local residents in the area have expressed “anger” and “anxiety” at the spate of attacks.
“Everyone I have talked to is disgusted about the attacks - and that includes people who are otherwise pro-Palestine as well as those who are just angry at the High Street getting smashed up,” said James Heartfield, an Islington resident.
Eve, who lives just three minutes away from the new cafe, called the attacks “violent and ugly.”
“I’ve lived in the area for 23 years and this is the first time I’ve seen that a business has been targeted based on the nationality and ethnicity of the owner,” she said.
She added: “I feel anxious and worried. I keep thinking, "Is that what's going to happen to me?”
Eve believes that racist attitudes towards Gail’s Israeli owners are the cause for the two vandalism incidents.
Campaigns against Gail’s have made claims that the cafe chain has links to the IDF and Israeli government.
The cafe was founded by Israeli baker Gail Mejia before being turned into a cafe by Ran Avidan, an Israeli entrepreneur in the early 2000s. The brand has since expanded to more than 200 sites backed by Bain Capital, an American investment firm, which bought Gail’s in 2021.
Neither Mejia nor Avidan are associated with Gail’s anymore.
Bain Capital, that has supercharged the chain’s growth, with around 40 new openings per year, was among 500 venture capital firms that signed a letter supporting Israel after the October 7 Hamas attack. It also has investments in several Israeli companies, including in the cybersecurity sector.
Tom Molnar, co-founder and chief executive of Gail’s, told the Times that the attempts to “intimidate and endanger” the cafe were “completely unacceptable.”
He added: “We remain focused on playing a positive and meaningful role in feeding people better and attempts to disrupt our commitments to the communities we serve are primarily unkind and ill-informed.”
The Islington Branch of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign posted an Instagram message last week saying: “This morning, Gail’s tried to quietly open up in Archway and we made sure to give them the welcome they deserve.”
The account also shared a photo of protesters outside the coffee shop holding a sign which read: “Boycott Israel for genocide and war crimes in Gaza”.
“Gail’s would like you to believe they are a down-to-earth alternative to major high street chains, but Gail’s is majority-owned by Bain Capital, a global private equity firm that is a vocal supporter of Israel,” the caption read.
A breakfast event on Friday dubbed Breakfast at Gail’s has been organised by Eve in an attempt to “welcome” Gail’s to the community and to “do something enjoyable” in the face of adversity.
The Metropolitan Police said it had attended the cafe on Wednesday and is trying to establish whether the two attacks are linked.
The statement read: “Detectives have carried out extensive enquiries into the first incident, including reviewing CCTV and other footage. No arrests have been made at this stage.
We recognise the impact that incidents of this nature have. We have increased uniformed patrols in the area and are working with the affected business.
“We will take an assertive and determined approach to dealing with antisemitism and other hate crime, acting decisively against anyone who tries to use the cover of protest to cause fear and distress to Londoners.
Anyone with information about the criminal damage incidents that may assist police is urged to call 101 quoting CAD 7771/18FEB, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
