Pizzeria allegedly vandalized by Vancouver anti-gentrification group
Blog post says Commercial Drive attacks inspired by Downtown Eastside restaurant protests
A local restaurant owner says someone smashed the windows of his pizzeria on Commercial Drive for the third time in the last half year.
Ryan Chilibeck, owner of the Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria, said the windows of his pizzeria were smashed in September, October and most recently, last week.
Chilibeck said security camera footage shows people with their faces covered using a hammer to shatter the glass.
"It's tough for myself and my staff. We've all worked pretty hard to make this place a good restaurant , a casual place for families to come and enjoy our food," Chilibeck said.
"It's just kind of demoralizing for everyone that's works here."
He estimates the vandals did $17,000 worth of damage in total.
A blog post on the Anarchist News website claims that a group called the Anti Gentrification Front is responsible.
The author of the blog post claims to be a member of the group and says the attack was inspired by the recent protests outside of the Downtown Eastside restaurant, Pidgin.
Activists involved in those protests say they aren't connected to the group targeting Famoso.
"For all too long now yuppies have been peacefully going about their gourmet dinners, buying up their lucky condos and flaunting their wealth by driving around in expensive cars. We thought it would be great to remind them AGF is still here," the blog post read.
"So last night, for the third time, Famoso Neapolitan Pizzeria was attacked. Several of its windows and one of its cameras were smashed. Famoso thought that putting up their pathetic cameras would stop our attacks. They haven’t and never will. We are also inspired by the picketers of the new yuppie restaurant in the downtown east side called Pidgin. They have been giving yuppies a taste of the class war for weeks now."
The blog post author also says that the AGF targeted the City of Vancouver, and smashed the windows of two city work trucks and a tractor.
Sgt. Randy Fincham of the Vancouver Police Department says the incidents at the pizzeria are under investigation and that the blog posts are being examined by their Technology Crimes Unit.