Latest news with #LesterBamacajeronimo
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
San Francisco's Pink Triangle, symbol of LGBTQ+ rights and Nazi persecution, is vandalized
LOS ANGELES - San Francisco police have arrested a man accused of defacing the famed Pink Triangle, a symbol of LGBTQ+ rights that is installed annually during Pride Month on top of the city's landmark Twin Peaks. Police arrested the suspect after receiving a report around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday of someone vandalizing portions of the dozens of pieces of pink canvas that comprise the triangle. "Officers pursued the male suspect on foot and detained him," the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. The suspect was arrested and identified as Lester Bamacajeronimo, 19, of San Francisco. "Evidence of vandalism tools were located and seized. Charges are pending," the statement said. "This vandalism is unacceptable in our city and the San Francisco Police Department condemns this act," the police statement said. "San Francisco's Pink Triangle is a powerful symbol of our city's commitment to supporting LGBT rights and commemorates victims of the past." The founder of the triangle project, Patrick Carney, told KRON-TV that the vandal spray-painted the triangle in lines "that go back and forth. ... It damaged 26 of the tarps." Carney said a quick solution would likely involve getting some pink paint to cover up the vandalism. "However, that's a temporary fix, and we'll still have to throw those tarps away," Carney told the news outlet. Carney also told KRON-TV that anti-transgender stickers had been popping up near the triangle, and he and other community members have responded by covering them up with tape or scratching them out. Carney and local officials celebrated the Pink Triangle's 30th annual installation this year, which is held atop Twin Peaks - the second- and third-highest peaks in San Francisco. The giant installation can be seen across the city's downtown, viewable from Market Street and the Castro District. The triangle covers about one acre, and is made up of 175 tarps. It has been vandalized before, with "several pink canvas tarp pieces" having been set on fire, the Pink Triangle's website says. The 2009 incident involved vandals burning the center of the Pink Triangle, Carney told KGO-TV. It has also been graffitied a couple of times in the past, he told the TV station. The Pink Triangle is "a tradition that transforms Twin Peaks into a beacon of pride for all of San Francisco," Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a social media post after speaking at the unveiling of the triangle earlier this month. The Pink Triangle, according to the installation's website, commemorates "gay victims who were persecuted and killed in concentration camps in Nazi Germany." According to the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, "upwards of 15,000 gay men were sent to Nazi concentration camps" and "forced to wear a pink inverted triangle on their uniforms." They were singled out for even more extreme persecution. "Sadly, 60% of gay men sent to concentration camps were killed." The pink triangle has since been reclaimed in the LGBTQ+ community and "serves as a reminder that we cannot allow history to repeat itself," the center said. On Tuesday, the mayor condemned the vandalism. "This hateful act of vandalism does not reflect San Francisco's values and will not be tolerated," Lurie said on social media. State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, called the vandalism a "horrific attack on the LGBTQ community." "The Pink Triangle is a symbol of our community's resilience in the face of hatred and violence," Wiener said in a statement. "We're not going anywhere, and no amount of vandalism or violence will change that. "I'm so grateful for the many volunteers who make the Pink Triangle each year. Nothing will stop this community's spirit, and I'm confident the Pink Triangle will be repaired and back in order quickly," Wiener added. The Pink Triangle will remain on display until June 29. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
S.F.'s Pink Triangle, symbol of LGBTQ+ rights and Nazi persecution, is vandalized
San Francisco police have arrested a man accused of defacing the famed Pink Triangle, a symbol of LGBTQ+ rights that is installed annually during Pride Month on top of the city's landmark Twin Peaks. Police arrested the suspect after receiving a report around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday of someone vandalizing portions of the dozens of pieces of pink canvas that comprise the triangle. 'Officers pursued the male suspect on foot and detained him,' the San Francisco Police Department said in a statement. The suspect was arrested and identified as Lester Bamacajeronimo, 19, of San Francisco. 'Evidence of vandalism tools were located and seized. Charges are pending,' the statement said. 'This vandalism is unacceptable in our city and the San Francisco Police Department condemns this act,' the police statement said. 'San Francisco's Pink Triangle is a powerful symbol of our city's commitment to supporting LGBT rights and commemorates victims of the past.' The founder of the triangle project, Patrick Carney, told KRON-TV that the vandal spray-painted the triangle in lines 'that go back and forth. ... It damaged 26 of the tarps.' Carney said a quick solution would likely involve getting some pink paint to cover up the vandalism. 'However, that's a temporary fix, and we'll still have to throw those tarps away,' Carney told the news outlet. Carney also told KRON-TV that anti-transgender stickers had been popping up near the triangle, and he and other community members have responded by covering them up with tape or scratching them out. Carney and local officials celebrated the Pink Triangle's 30th annual installation this year, which is held atop Twin Peaks — the second- and third-highest peaks in San Francisco. The giant installation can be seen across the city's downtown, viewable from Market Street and the Castro District. The triangle covers about one acre, and is made up of 175 tarps. It has been vandalized before, with 'several pink canvas tarp pieces' having been set on fire, the Pink Triangle's website says. The 2009 incident involved vandals burning the center of the Pink Triangle, Carney told KGO-TV. It has also been graffitied a couple of times in the past, he told the TV station. The Pink Triangle is 'a tradition that transforms Twin Peaks into a beacon of pride for all of San Francisco,' Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a social media post after speaking at the unveiling of the triangle earlier this month. The Pink Triangle, according to the installation's website, commemorates 'gay victims who were persecuted and killed in concentration camps in Nazi Germany.' According to the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, 'upwards of 15,000 gay men were sent to Nazi concentration camps' and 'forced to wear a pink inverted triangle on their uniforms.' They were singled out for even more extreme persecution. 'Sadly, 60% of gay men sent to concentration camps were killed.' The pink triangle has since been reclaimed in the LGBTQ+ community and 'serves as a reminder that we cannot allow history to repeat itself,' the center said. On Tuesday, the mayor condemned the vandalism. 'This hateful act of vandalism does not reflect San Francisco's values and will not be tolerated,' Lurie said on social media. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) called the vandalism a 'horrific attack on the LGBTQ community.' 'The Pink Triangle is a symbol of our community's resilience in the face of hatred and violence,' Wiener said in a statement. 'We're not going anywhere, and no amount of vandalism or violence will change that. 'I'm so grateful for the many volunteers who make the Pink Triangle each year. Nothing will stop this community's spirit, and I'm confident the Pink Triangle will be repaired and back in order quickly,' Wiener added. The Pink Triangle will remain on display until June 29.
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Man arrested on suspicion of defacing S.F.'s iconic Pink Triangle installation
San Francisco police said that officers arrested a 19-year-old on suspicion of defacing the Pink Triangle memorial art installation on Twin Peaks on Tuesday. Officers said they responded to the unit block of Christmas Tree Point just before 12:30 p.m., where they observed a man 'actively defacing' the installation. After the suspect ran, police pursued him on foot and detained him, officials said. Officers arrested Lester Bamacajeronimo of San Francisco in the incident. Officials said they seized evidence of vandalism tools. Charges against the suspect are pending, officials said. 'This vandalism is unacceptable in our city and the San Francisco Police department condemns this act,' spokespersons said. 'San Francisco's Pink Triangle is a powerful tool of our city's commitment to supporting LGBT rights and commemorates to (sic) victims of the past.' The installation of the city's famous Pink Triangle is one of the many events that mark the beginning of San Francisco's Pride month. Hundreds of volunteers show up each year to help setup the triangle, which makes up nearly an acre in size and this year, was made up of 175 pink tarps. The San Francisco tradition, which began as a renegade crafts project, was established in 1995, according to a historical website for the Pink Triangle. The symbol of the pink triangle is a reclaiming of the pink triangle patch that gay men were forced to wear in Nazi Germany's concentration camps alongside Jews, Roma, political dissidents and other 'undesirables.' Even after the Allies defeated the Nazis and freed many concentration camp survivors, those marked with pink triangles were imprisoned under a law barring homosexuality. Germany did not recognize gay men as victims of the Nazi regime and worthy of compensation until 2002, the Pink Triangle founder, Patrick Carney, told the Chronicle earlier this year. San Francisco Chronicle reporter St. John Barned-Smith contributed to this report.
CBS News
17 hours ago
- CBS News
The Pink Triangle, a San Francisco Pride Month symbol, vandalized
The Pink Triangle that goes up during San Francisco Pride Month was vandalized on Tuesday, San Francisco Police said. Police said that around 12:30 p.m., police responded to Christmas Tree Point Road for a report of vandalism. When officers arrived, they found a man who was defacing the memorial. Police said he tried to run away but was arrested not long after. Police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Lester Bamacajeronimo. The Pink Triangle returns doing Pride Month and represents the insignia that Nazis gave to people they suspected were homosexuals. "With the Pink Triangle, we're just trying to remember what happened and how it ties into Pride," said founder Patrick Carney in a previous interview with KPIX. "Part of celebrating and appreciating any Pride is knowing where you've been. And this is it, this Pink Triangle. So, we have to have it here for Pride. Especially with what's happening in Washington. It really is more important than ever this year." San Francisco Police said they found evidence of vandalism tools and seized them, and that charges are pending. "San Francisco's Pink Triangle is a powerful symbol of our city's commitment to supporting LGBT rights and commemorates to victims of the past. We stand united with our LGBT community for this month and every month as we continue the fight for equality."
