"Stop the War". "That's what it's all about," Mr Tekinkaya said.

Protesters target cafe in Gaza row
By EVAN HARDING and DYLAN THORNE - The Southland Times
Stuff.co.nz Saturday, 17 January 2009

Protesters took to the streets of Invercargill yesterday, targeting a city cafe that is refusing to serve Israeli nationals.



About 15 placard-waving protesters stood opposite the Mevlana Cafe in Esk St at lunchtime chanting "Kiwis don't discriminate, Kiwis don't give in to hate". The words were aimed at cafe owners Mustafa and Joanne Tekinkaya, who ordered Israeli sisters Natalie Bennie and Tamara Shefa out of their cafe on Wednesday because of their nationality.

The Tekinkayas said they would not serve any Israelis in their cafe until Israel stopped killing innocent women and children on the Gaza Strip. The protesters said they were taking the peaceful protest action against the cafe owners because they had subjected the Israeli sisters to hate and discrimination, which was unfair, heavy-handed and unacceptable in New Zealand. Five hours after the protest action took place, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully said he was disappointed to read what had happened to the two Israeli women.

Responding to calls by the Israeli ambassador for the Government to take action, Mr McCully told The Southland Times people had very strong views on the situation in the Middle East. "But it's to be hoped that this sort of thing isn't to be imported into New Zealand." He would not answer further questions on the issue. One of the Esk St protesters, Anna Chilton, who is of Jewish descent, said the cafe owners had been heavy-handed towards the women. "It is inappropriate and embarrassing for Invercargill and New Zealand. It's a nationwide racist embarrassment," she said. Emily Beale, of Invercargill, said the cafe owners had brought the war to Invercargill. "We are against the war as well but don't bring it here, don't discriminate."

Standing outside the cafe, on the other side of the road from the protesters, Carl and Racheal Goldsmith and son Dante O'Kane were staging a protest of their own against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Mrs Goldsmith, who said they were anti-war but not anti-Israel, said she had always wanted to protest against the conflict in Gaza but had needed a catalyst. She did not necessarily support the stance taken by the cafe owners in refusing to serve Israelis but said she supported their point. "I think it's a much wider issue (than discrimination)." She knew what it was like to lose a child, she said. "It doesn't matter what country it's in, it's still tragic."

Several people being served at the Mevlana Cafe said the cafe owner was standing up for what he believed in. Robert Guyton, of Riverton, said Mr Tekinkaya felt passionately about the death of innocent women and children and "who could blame him?" He added he empathised with the two Israeli women ordered out of the cafe.

Cafe owner Mustafa Tekinkaya, a Turkish Muslim, has said throughout this week his actions had nothing to do with racism. He declined to comment on the protest action taken against him, but pointed to a sign on his shop window, which said "Stop the War". "That's what it's all about," Mr Tekinkaya said.

Turkish Kebabs, also in Esk St, said on Wednesday it, too, would not serve Israelis until the war stopped. However, A La Turka, the Turkish Kebab House in Dee St, had a sign on its window yesterday saying everyone was welcome.

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Mein Kampf, the book Hitler wrote in prison before he rose to power in 1933, has become a bestseller in Turkey, provoking consternation. The dreams of creating a master race are being snapped up by young Turks. Its publishers believe that more than 100,000 copies have been sold in the past two months. Its sudden appeal has alarmed Turkey's Jewish community and is causing concern in the EU. A German diplomat said its success "might not give the right signals" to Europeans in advance of Turkey's opening accession talks in October. Full story here at the Guardian


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"Stop the War". "That's what it's all about," Mr Tekinkaya said.

OR

"One woman I didn't serve made huge noise. I love it, I love it - it's how I want it to be."

New Zealand based Turkish Muslim Racist Bigot, refuses service to two Israeli women in cafe.

Cafe owner 'breached 'human rights' kicking out Israelis

Stuff.co.nz
15 1 09

An Invercargill cafe owner's refusal to serve Israelis on the basis of their nationality is a clear human rights breach, Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres says.

Sisters Natalie Bennie and Tamara Shefa were upset after being booted out of the Mevlana Cafe in Esk St yesterday by owner Mustafa Tekinkaya.

They chose to eat at Mevlana Cafe because it had a play area for Mrs Bennie's two children, but they were told to leave before they had ordered any food, Mrs Bennie said.

"He heard us speaking Hebrew and he asked us where we were from. I said Israel and he said 'get out, I am not serving you'. It was shocking."

Mr Tekinkaya, who is Muslim and from Turkey, said he was making his own protest against Israel because it was killing innocent babies and women in the Gaza Strip.


"I have decided as a protest not to serve Israelis until the war stops."

He said he had nothing against Israeli people but if any more came into his shop they would also be told to leave, and he was not concerned if he lost business.

Mr de Bres said the Human Rights Act prohibited discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of ethnic or national origin, or of political opinion.

"Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation in Palestine, it is simply against the law for providers of goods and services in New Zealand to discriminate in this way," he said.

Mr Tekinkaya's stance was supported by neighbouring Turkish Kebabs shop owner Ali Uzun, who said he was also refusing to serve Israelis.

Mrs Bennie said she did not disagree that Israel was committing crimes against children.

"I just don't think I should be declined service because I am from Israel."

She had rung the Human Rights Commission and was told the cafe owner's actions were against the law because he was discriminating on the basis of ethnicity.

"I wouldn't mind having a chat to him. Someone has to put him in his place," Mrs Bennie said.

Ms Shefa is visiting Mrs Bennie at her Makarewa home, on the outskirts of Invercargill, where she lives with her New Zealand husband and two children.

Both women said they had travelled widely, and to places much more hostile than New Zealand, but had never been treated in such a way.

Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt was shocked when told of the incident.

"Oh my god, the Gaza Strip has come to Invercargill. Hell's bells."

He said he was bewildered.

"Generally speaking I am against all wars and I suppose people have got a right to protest. I couldn't really deny that. It would have been upsetting for the women and I feel sympathy for them."

You can let this racist bastard know what you think of his actions here at this Restaurant review site MenuMania.co.nz
http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/mevlana-cafe-invercargill?message=3

Mr Tekinkaya says he is happy the women have complained loudly about his actions, as that is exactly what he wanted. He says he enjoyed the reaction when he refused them service.

"One woman I didn't serve made huge noise. I love it, I love it - it's how I want it to be."

Mevlana Cafe owner and Racist Muslim Bigot
Mr Tekinkaya
Mevlana Cafe NZ

37 Esk St
Invercargill
Invercargill City NZ
03-214 1790
Hours: * Mon - Sun 7am - 5pm
* Fri 7am - 6pm
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