Pizza chain sparks protests for doubling down on dessert referring to ex-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry and drug use
Protesters are demanding an apology and a D.C. pizza shop has been vandalized amid the controversy over &pizza’s ad campaign that makes light of the late Mayor Marion Barry’s drug use.
WASHINGTON — Protesters are demanding an apology and a Washington, D.C., pizza shop has been vandalized amid the controversy over an ad campaign that makes light of the late “Mayor for Life” Marion Barry’s drug use.
Washington-based &Pizza promoted a new menu item Monday called Marion Berry Knots, a dessert with marionberries. The dish is “so good it’s likely a felony,” a news release said.
“For a good time, it’s the powder that’s the ultimate headline grabber. The Marion Berry Knots have enough powdered sugar that will have customers bumping elbows to order and even force the DEA to look twice,” &Pizza said in ad copy full of drug references.
Demonstrators gathered Wednesday morning outside the shop on U Street NW, calling for &Pizza to remove the dessert from its menu and apologize.
Many people who spoke with NBC Washington on Wednesday said the ad was in poor taste. One protester described it as “degrading” to Barry’s legacy.
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