Security camera footage at Protest Pizzeria, a gay-owned pizza shop in Washington DC’s Dupont Circle, captured a criminal breaking the restaurant’s glass front door and stealing $78 in cash from their register around 3 a.m. last Friday, The Washington Blade reported.
Though police aren’t investigating the incident as a hate crime, the business’ owners, Randy Downs and his life partner Ricky Bennett, expressed gratitude for the support they have received from neighbors, business owners, and others since reporting the incident on social media.
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“It’s not always glamorous being a restaurant owner… Not exactly the Friday morning we had planned,” the business wrote in a Friday morning Instagram post showing the broken glass door. “We’re p**sed. A little shaken. But mostly grateful. Nobody was here, nobody was hurt, and everyone is okay. Glass can be replaced. We’ll clean it up, fix the door and keep slinging pizza.”
“We’ve been working on Protest Pizza for over a year now. Where we live across the street, so this is our home,” Downs told the local Fox TV affiliate WTTG. “It’s a sense of home and security, and that’s what we’re building at Protest Pizza, a community place. And so, to to have it violated by an individual definitely was not a good start to the day.”
“I’ve been choked up all day,” Bennett added.
“Choked up? I’ve been crying like here and there, just thinking about it,” Downs replied, discussing the outpouring of support since the business shared their Instagram post. “Like everyone who wants us to succeed and grow and build our business here — it’s really been awesome.”
“The house is packed. The tickets are nonstop,” Bennett said of his business since the break in. “Thank you to everybody who’s reached out, who’s shown love near and far. We’re getting messages from Oklahoma and people who have caught it on Instagram, other business owners saying ‘So sorry,’ businesses offering up their services to us already, just to lend a helping hand.”
The local Metro Police Department has not yet announced any arrests or suspects in connection with the break in. Security video showed the criminal wearing all black with their face covered during the incident. Police are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and encourage anyone with information to call the police tipline at 202-727-9099.
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