Attack on Manny’s Investigated as Hate Crime
Published June 13, 2025
On June 9 vandals broke into Manny’s, a beloved café and community space, smashing its windows and spray-painting hate speech including “Die Zio[nist]” and "The only good settler is a dead 1." It's a shocking escalation of antisemitic violence in San Francisco’s Mission District.
The Facts
On Monday night, vandals broke into a Mission District civic café, smashed windows, and spray-painted hate speech such as “Death 2 Israel is a Promise” and “Die Zio[nist].” Police are treating the incident as a hate crime. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $200,000 to help with repairs and security upgrades.
Some community members quickly sprang to action to help with the cleanup, and a Noe Valley Jewish community organized a support gathering. Mayor Lurie; Supervisors Melgar, Mahmood, and Dorsey, and Senator Scott Wiener all condemned the attack and offered support to Manny Yekutiel, the café’s owner. Supervisor Jackie Fielder, who represents the Mission District where Manny's is located, has not publicly condemned the attack, but told the Chronicle she was "connecting all small businesses vandalized with city resources".
In an op-ed in the Chronicle, Manny Yekutiel wrote that he is "heartbroken" but highlighted the support he quickly received:
But even in the middle of this ugliness, there were many points of light. Since the news broke that Manny’s was vandalized, I received hundreds of messages of love and support from all corners of the city. Mayor Daniel Lurie, without even asking, showed up to my space to hold my hand, to console and to cry with me. Before I could even start cleaning up the damage, strangers from the neighborhood stopped what they were doing to help. A kind man named Jesus grabbed my paint bucket and started covering the first layer of graffiti without a word. The outpouring has been overwhelming.
The Context
The attack on Manny's comes amid a national surge in antisemitic incidents. In 2024, California logged roughly 1,344 such cases, the second-most of any state, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Though on a per-capita basis, California ranks #14 in antisemitic incidents.
Manny's is a frequent target of antisemitic, anti-Zionist, and anti-Israeli graffiti.
The GrowSF Take
This attack shocks the conscience of our city. We must stand together against hate. If you'd like to help, please consider donating to the GoFundMe and visit Manny's for lunch or a coffee to show your support.