WASHINGTON — A D.C. pizza chain has removed a controversial dessert amid a backlash over what some say was an inappropriate reference to the late D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.
The restaurant, &pizza, announced the dessert, "Marion Berry Knots,"on Monday and captured D.C.'s attention ─ not for the flavor but its tagline, which appeared to make fun of Barry's 1990 drug arrest:
The Marion Berry Knots have enough powdered sugar to have customers "bumping elbows to order — and even force the DEA to look twice."
Wednesday, Mayor Muriel Bowser weighed in, saying that she was offended by the ads.
“It’s unfortunate that this would be a topic for discussion,” she said.
Barry passed away in 2014, so many felt the comment insensitive and led to some calling for a boycott. On Wednesday, there was a protest outside an &pizza protest outside a location in D.C. Later in the day, the pizza chain removed the dessert item and apologized.
"Candidly, we made a mistake," said &pizza CEO Mike Burns in a letter to the public. "And for that, we sincerely apologize."
Burns further explained that &pizza stands for philanthropy, activism, and societal betterment in the communities they serve and that the dessert was meant to be humorous, not insensitive.
"While humor was our intent, it was regrettably off the mark," Burns wrote. "We're an edgy brand known for being risk-takers. The parody of the former Mayor and portrayal of substance abuse was wrong. "
After hearing feedback from people on social media, Burns apologized for the hurt and frustration &pizza caused, especially to the Barry family.
"We recognize his impact on the District and greater Capital area and understand why his legacy remains as strong as it is today," the letter reads.
Burns says the pizza chain is reaching out to community leaders with the goal of working together to create a positive impact.
“It speaks to a bigger cultural ignorance.,” said Edward Ford, who’s lived in DC his entire life. “I don’t think his initial intentions were bad, it’s just ignorance, but when the community rises up and lets you know we’re not with it, you’re supposed to change it!”
“I think to myself, this had to go through a chain of command,” said DC resident Imani Bashir. “Somebody had to get an approval, somebody had to say yes, and then they had to make marketing materials, and somebody said, ‘yeah, that’s a great idea!’, and that’s insane to me!”
CEO Burns of &pizza said he was sorry for the dessert.
"Again, we apologize. We have nothing but love for D.C., which we consider the greatest city in the world," Burns said. "Trust that &pizza hears you and we will do better."
Don't Mute D.C. the activist group who led the backlash against &pizza said they still plan on holding a protest outside the chain's U Street location at 7 p.m. on Friday.
"It’s a great step in the right direction, but it’s not enough.” Ron Moten of Don’t Mute DC, said on Wednesday.
Councilmember Trayon White spoke on Marion Barry’s work improving DC, and called on residents to help preserve that legacy.
“He gave hope to people who didn’t feel hope. He gave backbone to people who were afraid. He gave people jobs who were jobless. He gave people housing when they were homeless,” White said. “For us in Washington DC, we ask for everybody to stand in solidarity for Marion Barry because he stood for us.”