Friday burglary brings Protest Pizza neighbors inside nearby

Protest Pizza reopened to packed orders after a 3 a.m. Dupont Circle break-in, turning a burglary at the new D.C. shop into a neighborhood rally.

A 3 a.m. glass smash

Surveillance video showed a masked man in black clothing approaching the storefront shortly before 3 a.m. Friday, according to the owners. The shop, located in Dupont Circle, had opened after more than a year of work by owners Randy Downs and Ricky Bennett.

The man first tried to force the entrance, then broke the glass door to get inside, the owners said. Once in the restaurant, he went over the bar, reached a cash register near the back, took money and left.

The break-in hit a business that is also part of the owners' daily life in the neighborhood. Downs and Bennett live across the street, which made the damage feel less like an isolated property crime and more like an intrusion at home.

Across-the-street owners describe violation

Downs said the restaurant was built around a sense of place, not only a menu. "We live across the street, so this is our home. It's a sense of home and security, and that's what we're building at Protest Pizza," Downs said.

He added that the timing made the morning harder for the new business. "So to have it violated by an individual definitely was not a great day, good start to the day," Downs said.

For small restaurants, a broken door and missing cash can carry costs beyond the initial repair. A new operator also loses time, staff attention and a sense of control during the early stretch when repeat customers are still being built.

Dupont Circle orders stack up

The owners said the day changed after they posted about the burglary on social media. Neighbors, regulars and people outside Washington began sending orders, notes and offers to help.

By Friday, the restaurant was handling a steady flow of walk-in and online business, the owners said. Flowers arrived, older residents from the local community stopped by to buy food, and businesses as far away as Oklahoma contacted the shop with support.

Downs described the response as emotional after a morning that began with broken glass. "I've been choked up all day, choked up, I've been crying just thinking about everyone who wants us to succeed and grow our business here," he said.

Bennett said the demand inside the shop reflected how quickly the neighborhood moved from sympathy to action. "The house is packed, the tickets are non-stop," Bennett said. "Just thank you to everyone again, thank you to everyone who's reached out, shown love near and far."

No arrest announced Friday

No suspects, leads or arrests had been announced by D.C. police as of Friday, according to the available account of the case. The open question for the business is whether the surveillance video helps investigators identify the person seen at the storefront before 3 a.m.

The owners said the most useful response to a small business facing a setback is direct support. For Protest Pizza, that meant customers crossing Dupont Circle sidewalks, placing online orders and helping a new restaurant keep service moving after a burglary.