Comet Ping Pong The pizzeria in northwest Washington is shown on December 5, 2016, the day after an adherent to a debunked conspiracy theory fired shots in the restaurant. (more) Pizzagate political conspiracy theory Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pizzagate Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. Tracy Grant Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 12, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Pizzagate? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pizzagate is a debunked conspiracy theory alleging that Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington, D.C., was a front for a Democrat-led child pornography ring. It is seen as a precursor to the QAnon conspiracy theory." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How did Pizzagate originate? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pizzagate originated during the 2016 U.S. presidential election when Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podestau2019s hacked emails were released. Online forums advanced the false theory references to u201Ccheese pizzau201D as code for u201Cchild pornography,u201D leading to subsequently debunked stories about a child sex-trafficking ring." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What happened at Comet Ping Pong on December 4, 2016? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "On December 4, 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch, armed with multiple guns, entered Comet Ping Pong believing the conspiracy theory about a Democrat-led child pornography and trafficking ring. He fired shots but found no evidence of secret passageways or illegal activities. Welch was arrested, and no one was injured." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the connection between Pizzagate and QAnon? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Pizzagate is considered a precursor to QAnon, another conspiracy theory. QAnon began in October 2017 with posts on 4chan claiming to reveal truths about a global pedophile ring. It gained followers worldwide and influenced some U.S. politicians." } } ] } Top Questions What is Pizzagate? Pizzagate is a debunked conspiracy theory alleging that Comet Ping Pong, a pizzeria in Washington, D.C., was a front for a Democrat-led child pornography ring. It is seen as a precursor to the QAnon conspiracy theory.

　　How did Pizzagate originate? Pizzagate originated during the 2016 U.S. presidential election when Hillary Clinton campaign chair John Podesta’s hacked emails were released. Online forums advanced the false theory references to “cheese pizza” as code for “child pornography,” leading to subsequently debunked stories about a child sex-trafficking ring.

　　What happened at Comet Ping Pong on December 4, 2016? On December 4, 2016, Edgar Maddison Welch, armed with multiple guns, entered Comet Ping Pong believing the conspiracy theory about a Democrat-led child pornography and trafficking ring. He fired shots but found no evidence of secret passageways or illegal activities. Welch was arrested, and no one was injured.

　　What is the connection between Pizzagate and QAnon? Pizzagate is considered a precursor to QAnon, another conspiracy theory. QAnon began in October 2017 with posts on 4chan claiming to reveal truths about a global pedophile ring. It gained followers worldwide and influenced some U.S. politicians.

　　For the first 10 years it was in business, Comet Ping Pong was just a popular family-friendly pizza joint occupying a small storefront in a Washington, D.C., neighborhood. Since 2016 it has been at the center of the debunked conspiracy theory known as Pizzagate, which posited that the restaurant was a front for a Democrat-led child pornography and trafficking ring. A case study in how misinformation and disinformation spread, Pizzagate is widely seen as a precursor to the QAnon conspiracy theory that helped lead to the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. (Understand more: What is news literacy ...(100 of 806 words)

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