Monday night, a large crowd gathered at the Advisory Neighborhood Commission 3F monthly meeting to ponder a series of proposals from Comet Ping Pong owner James Alefantis. The crux of the matter: a request by Alefantis to lift a voluntary agreement between his business and the commission regarding the operation of his restaurant.

But the larger than usual crowd was a sign of things to come (or a sign of what had already passed), and what started out as a community meeting quickly devolved into a flurry of blind accusations, threats of censure, and many an unkind word toward those involved.

The voluntary agreement in question was created two years ago, when Alefantis approached the ANC about opening Comet. Notably, the agreement requires Comet to close at 12 a.m. and bans live entertainment (other than “soft background music”).

Photo by jim_darling