Reddit has gone dark in a protest that has left the internet divided. For 24 hours, the social news aggregation platform was inaccessible in a move that Reddit users hope will draw attention to their cause: the right to eat pineapple on pizza.
Users of Reddit's r/food subreddit have long been champions of the controversial topping, despite vocal opposition from those who believe that pineapple has no place on a pizza. Now, they have taken their campaign to the next level.
"We believe that pineapple is a valid pizza topping and should be respected as such," said a spokesperson for the group. "We do not condone any attempt to ban or censor the use of pineapple on pizza."
This is not the first time that Reddit has been used as a platform for activism. In 2012, users blacked out the site to protest against the Stop Online Piracy Act, while in 2015, they mobilized against the appointment of Ellen Pao as CEO of the site.
But the solidarity displayed by users in support of pineapple on pizza has taken many by surprise. Political commentator Mike Huckabee was among those who weighed in on the debate, tweeting that "Anyone who doesn't like pineapple on pizza is un-American and probably a communist."
The controversy has also spilled over into the world of professional pizza-making. The Chef's Association of Naples, which has long been the arbiter of what constitutes a true Neapolitan pizza, has issued a statement denouncing the use of pineapple on the dish.
"This is a betrayal of our culinary heritage," the statement read. "We cannot stand by and let this abomination go unchallenged."
However, the backlash to the backlash has been equally fierce. Twitter users have been sharing photos of their own pineapple-topped pizzas with the hashtag #PineappleBelongsToPizza, while celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has tweeted his support for the topping.
"I don't understand why people have such a problem with pineapple on pizza," Ramsay wrote. "It's delicious!"
As the debate rages on, it remains to be seen whether the use of pineapple on pizza will ever truly be accepted. But one thing is for sure: Reddit will never be the same again.
