Image by Screenshot/Twitter

By David Ian Klein November 25, 2020

Antisemites are attacking the Jewish owners of Black Rifle Coffee Co. online after they publicly distanced themselves from 17-year-old Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, who was pictured wearing their merchandise in a now-deleted tweet by a reporter from the right-wing news outlet Blaze Media, Elijah Schaefer.

The tweet displayed a photo of Rittenhouse with the caption “Kyle Rittenhouse drinks the best coffee in America” and a promotional code to Black Rifle Coffee.

.@blckriflecoffee do you sponsor Kyle Rittenhouse? pic.twitter.com/BANNyEUiiY

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

— Sleeping Giants (@slpng_giants) November 21, 2020

After the tweet, Black Rifle Coffee Co. quickly came under fire from Twitter users on the left who thought that the company had sponsored Rittenhouse.

So Black Rifle Coffee are Nazi and murder sympathizers? Who could have guessed that a coffee company named after a gun would be so extreme? https://t.co/lrIQiUNUHg

— B.S.Hollee (@BS_Hollen) November 21, 2020

The veteran owned and operated coffee maker has been endorsed by Donald Trump Jr. and markets itself as an openly pro-second amendment and pro-law enforcement company. It offers a special “thin blue line” series roast and has named many of its other products after weapons. The company also runs a lifestyle site that features content on the intersection of coffee, the military and veterans affairs.

However, though the company does have a marketing contract with Blaze Media, it clarified that it did not approve of the tweet, has no relationship with Rittenhouse and asked that the tweet be removed.

Untrue.

We did not sponsor nor do we have a relationship with the 17-year-old facing charges in Kenosha, WI.https://t.co/gNfWaOUqoT

— Black Rifle Coffee (@blckriflecoffee) November 21, 2020

“We’re not in the business of profiting from tragedy, we’re not in the business of profiting from this event. We have zero interest in collecting one dollar from this. It is ethically inappropriate and for us to do so or even give the perception,” said Black Rifle Coffee Co. founder and CEO Evan Hafer in a video, though he added that the company supports gun rights.

Following their clarifications, Black Rifle Coffee Co. received a counter reaction from far-right Twitter users, many of which highlighted Hafer’s Jewish Identity.

Ask Evan the Jewish founder/owner of Black Rifle Coffee Company to denounce Antifa….here’s why we won’t. pic.twitter.com/yexdm1fyda

— DiversityVictim ?????? (@DiversityVictim) November 23, 2020

Also you’d have to be a jew ( black rifle coffee guy)

— Franklin (@anarchobaptist_) November 20, 2020

The founders of that company are jews. Everything you need to know is in the previous sentence

— Berkut (@Berkut1389) November 22, 2020

A lot of people are battling online over @blckriflecoffee and whether or not they actually support Kyle Rittenhouse. People on both sides are protesting the coffee company over this issue.

I’m protesting them because I found out the owner is a Jew. It’s that simple.

— Milliardo Peacecraft (@MilliardoPCraft) November 23, 2020

“I thought that the Right would say ‘Oh dude, we get that, ok, cool,” Hafer later said in a phone appearance on Dana Loesch’s program on Blaze TV. “I was fundamentally mistaken, very mistaken.”

During his appearance on Loesch’s show, Hafer ultimately said that from his knowledge of the events in Kenosha, he believes Rittenhouse to be innocent.

Rittenhouse was released from jail on November 20 on a $2 million bail that was raised by his supporters as he awaits trial for the murders of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. Rittenhouse shot and killed the two men after he crossed state lines with an AR-15 rifle, claiming that he was going to protect local businesses from rioting protesters during Black Lives Matter protests after the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

Rittenhouse’s attorney contends that he opened fire on Rosenbaum and Huber in self defense.

Nov. 26 4:11 p.m. A previous version of this article stated that Kyle Rittenhouse wanted to protect local businesses from violent protests after the police killing of Jacob Blake. Blake was wounded by police, but not killed.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount