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Peaceful protesting proved powerful and effective after Mike Burns, CEO of &pizza, agreed to pull a widely criticized new menu item, “Marion Berry Knots,” after many city leaders and residents took to social media and the streets to speak out against what many called disrespectful to the legacy of the late Marion Barry, former D.C. mayor.

“We hear the D.C. community and have removed the Marion Berry Knots from our menu effective immediately,” said Burns in a statement mere hours after a peaceful protest in Northwest D.C. on Wednesday. “Those who know the &pizza brand know we stand for philanthropy, activism and societal betterment in the communities we serve.”

While Burns ultimately made the decision to pull the items after backlash, his tone initially denied the correlation to the former mayor. He first said it was related to marionberry, which served as the filling in the pastry, a rebuttal many did not accept.

Despite Barry’s long political legacy, &pizza used a small portion of the former mayor’s life to promote the new item.

In 1990, Barry was arrested in a joint sting with the FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department, charged and subsequently served a six-month jail sentence related to crack cocaine charges.  

In advertisements, &pizza used crack cocaine references, such as photos with piles of powdered sugar plus the same substance in small baggies and language related to drugs and criminal charges.

“The Marion Berry Knots have enough powdered sugar to have customers bumping elbows to order — and even force the DEA to look twice,” read the promotion, which has since been removed.

In a statement, a spokesman for Barry’s widow, Cora Masters Barry, called the promotion before asking for the lawyers representing the estate of the former Mayor to “look into the matter and act accordingly.”

Taking It to the Streets, Highlighting Barry’s Legacy

Barry was a longtime public servant, serving as the first chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (1960-1961), multiple terms on the D.C. Council as both an at-large member and Ward 8 representative, and as mayor. In honor of Barry’s legacy, activists and residents organized the “#KnotInDC” press conference and rally, just outside of U Street Metro Station, with the U Street &pizza restaurant  in the backdrop of the action. 

“Today is a critical day for us in the nation’s capital. For too long, those who have taken care of us have been disrespected in the spirit of profit,” Council member Trayon White (D-Ward 8) told the crowd during the rally. 

Freedom fighter Nee Nee Taylor, co-founder of , also emphasized &pizza’s motives as a moneymaking move that disregarded respect.

“This is being done in the name of profit. We are outraged that &pizza would do such an inflammatory promotion,” said Taylor. “Poking fun at, and shamelessly maligning the legacy of our beloved will not be tolerated. Period.”

Another protest was planned for Friday to encourage people to boycott the establishment during the busy nightlife hours and push &pizza to remove the desert.

The of the Community of Hope African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church said local AME churches planned to join the boycott. 

“What people understand is economic power,” said Lee. “We’ll show them what it means!”

White, who represents Ward 8 on the D.C. Council, as Barry did from 2005 until his death in 2014, emphasized the former mayor’s contributions not only to the District but to the Washington metropolitan area at large.

“Because of the leadership of Mayor Barry, we cleaned up following the 1968 riots and built a strong city with job opportunities. He created millionaires. Mayor Barry gave us opportunities and created the richest Black county in America: Prince George’s. He gave jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless. We stand in solidarity for Mayor Barry,” White, who is currently facing federal bribery charges, declared. 

The Ward 8 council member and others called the promotion a shocking show of disrespect, particularly following the CEO’s first comments that appeared to disregard the offense taken by many DMV natives.

“When you think about how many people are fighting addiction and the drugs people are dying from in D.C., who makes a mockery of that,” questioned activist Ron Moten, founder of Don’t Mute DC and the Go-Go Museum. “He wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t think others had his back. We cannot do this without a United front. It’s not a Ron Moten or a Don’t Mute DC thing, it’s a we thing! We call on everyone who benefited from Mayor Barry to speak up.”

Those voices were heard.

“We have read the countless messages and social media posts and understand the  frustration this has brought forth – 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. We are actively reaching out to the community leaders who have voiced concern. Our goal is  to connect with them to identify how we can work together to make a positive impact,” Burns explained in a statement.