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Popular San Francisco bakery under fire for refusing to serve cops in uniform

August 28, 2023 | | Print Article

A popular bakery in San Francisco has informed uniformed cops who are armed that they are not welcome, but claims they are free to come by when they are out of uniform.

(Video Credit: NBC Bay Area)

Reem’s California is a local Arab street food restaurant and bakery chain. The refusal to serve police officers has to do with the establishment’s anti-gun policy they claim.

“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,” the San Francisco Police Officers’ Association put out on X August 24.

The post included a screenshot of an email the union received from Reem’s that informed them that the company has a policy “to not serve anyone that is armed in a uniform.”

In response, the San Francisco Police Officers’ Association asked that the bakery post a notice concerning its policy following the denial of service to an officer in uniform.

“We are not asking Reem’s or any business with a bigoted policy to serve our officers,” the association noted in a savage retort. “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.”

“He was told by one of the workers there that they had a policy where they didn’t serve people in uniform who were armed,” San Francisco Police Officers Association President Tracy McCray said. “You know, I was just like ‘here we go again,’ you know, with this crap, basically.”

The Mission bakery is fairly new in the area, opening just before the pandemic descended on San Francisco. It is a popular retail outlet and a natural stop for officers.

Reem Assil founded the bakery. She considers herself a chef “working at the intersection of food, community, and social justice,” according to her Instagram page.

Assil gave an interview to SF Gate echoing a posted notice on Instagram asserting that her establishment “has a deep commitment to uplifting social and racial justice in our communities.”

“This includes fostering an environment of safety for our staff and customers. 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,” she contended in the interview.

She made her leftist, police and gun-hating opinion crystal clear.

“Many members of our community have been impacted by gun violence, whether that be an experience on the streets of San Francisco or Oakland, having come from war or occupation, or having increased fear due to a growing climate of political extremism,” Assil continued.

“All too often, black and brown people, and poor people are the victims of this violence,” she added. “At Reem’s we aim to provide a space where people can eat delicious Arab food and work together to strengthen our community, without fear of violence or harassment. We invite our community to step up and join us in creating that culture of care and resilience.”

The bakery is trying to have it both ways and is inviting officers to come in when off duty. Something that almost assuredly won’t happen.

“This policy is for armed officers, and we let police officers know that we welcome them back to our establishment when they’re off-duty and unarmed,” Assil stated.

This is not uncommon in San Francisco, a progressive city that disses the Second Amendment and brazenly shows hatred toward police.

“In 2021, the owners of all-day brunch restaurant Hilda and Jesse apologized amid backlash after three uniformed officers were asked to leave, and earlier this year, a cashier at Pizza Squared was fired after he told police officers they are not welcome at the business,” the New York Post reported.

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