A group of protesters showed up outside Comet Ping Pong the night before the inauguration. Comet’s neighbors also showed up that night – and in the days since.
The night’s tweets tell the tale. Protesters lined up on the sidewalk outside the restaurant at 5037 Connecticut Avenue.
Pretty normal night in front of Comet Ping Pong pic.twitter.com/n47CuYUfa2
— Daniel Newhauser (@dnewhauser) January 20, 2021
Comet blasted music to drown out their chants. A Washingtonian video showed Comet owner James Alefantis greeting the protesters with glasses of champagne, which they refused.
Neighbors came out to dance. The protesters retreated.
Patrons and neighbors of @cometpingpong DANCED AWAY a group of Q-Anon protesters last night to the tune of Lady Gaga's "Perfect Illusion." Here's a closer look at the incredible moment: pic.twitter.com/Tqca7ZTHhD
— Gaspard Le Dem (@GLD_Live) January 20, 2021
All is calm and safe! Tonight at Comet – fear and hate showed up. We and our neighbors danced them away. Love wins. Thank you!
— Comet Ping Pong (@cometpingpong) January 20, 2021
The neighbors’ support didn’t end there. The next night, Comet says, so many orders came in the restaurant ran out of pizza dough.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤 pic.twitter.com/U8MMhi28F0
— Comet Ping Pong (@cometpingpong) January 21, 2021
“[Because] of all of your support we were able to schedule more people for this weekend giving them much needed work hours… Endless gratitude from our kitchen and from our front of house workers. We are here dancing and serving pizza because of your support!”
We can’t think of a better summation than Popville’s headline: “A Few Brought Hate to Comet Ping Pong and Were Driven out, The Masses Brought Love.”
Comet Ping Pong has been through a lot in the past five years. First, Comet and neighboring businesses and their employees were subjected to other protests as well as vicious online and verbal attacks by people who believe fake reports that it’s the center of a child trafficking ring. In December 2016, the threats became all too real when a gunman showed up to see for himself.
Through all of this, the neighborhood came through for the business again and again. #StandWithComet was the rallying cry. In November 2016, even DC Council members showed their support, with an “eat-in” at Comet.
And through all of this, James and his staff have continued to provide sustenance to our neighborhood. We admire their courage.
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