Latest news with #PinkTriangle
Axios
16 hours ago
- Axios
San Francisco's Pink Triangle is more than a Pride symbol
What began as a mark of hate now stands tall above San Francisco as a beacon of pride. State of play: For three decades, the Pink Triangle has adorned Twin Peaks every June in recognition of the persecution of LGBTQ+ people under the Nazi regime. The big picture: During World War II, the symbol was used to label gay prisoners in concentration camps — one of several color-coded patches sewn onto uniforms to publicly mark and shame inmates. Flashback: Activists reclaimed the marking as an emblem of pride and protest amid the AIDS crisis, most famously with ACT UP's " Silence = Death" posters challenging stigma and government inaction. The symbol first appeared on Twin Peaks in 1996, installed at night at just 60 feet wide. Today, it spans 240 feet. What they're saying: Patrick Carney, who co-founded the Friends of the Pink Triangle, told Axios it serves as a "warning and a reminder" and a "giant in-your-face educational tool to teach people where hatred can lead." The latest: Earlier this month, police arrested a 19-year-old on suspicion of vandalizing the installation, which Carney said would not be repaired. The bottom line: "Leaving it as it is sends a powerful message… we will wear this scar as a badge of resilience, courage and our continuing struggle for equality," he said.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: S.F.'s Pink Triangle symbolizes LGBTQ+ empowerment. Why vandalism won't change that
Regarding 'Man arrested in vandalism to S.F.'s Pink Triangle celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month' (Crime, June 19): The vandalism of the Pink Triangle on Twin Peaks this week is an example of the struggles our community has faced throughout time. The damage should remain because it sends a powerful message. We will wear this scar as a badge of resilience, courage and our continuing struggle for equality for the rest of Pride Month. For the past three decades, the Pink Triangle has been a symbol of what can happen if hatred is allowed to go unchecked. The graffiti and defaced panels of the Pink Triangle remind us of the ongoing discrimination and hatred experienced by many in the community. If this can happen here in LGBTQ+ friendly San Francisco, think what might happen in other less accepting places in the U.S. and around the world. This hate empowers us. We will remain our true selves, speak up and keep living our lives as joyfully as possible. There is no going back in the closet as some would like us to do. Patrick Carney, co-founder, Pink Triangle, San Francisco Don't wait I'm not a green card holder nor an undocumented immigrant. I'm not attending a university on a student visa. I'm not a corporate executive fearing my political views will bar me from federal contracts. I'm not a lawyer who's been coerced into performing pro bono work to undo diversity, equity and inclusion. I'm not connected to any university, museum or nonprofit organization that had its tax-exempt status and/or funding canceled for promoting policies inimical to government ones. I'm not employed by any federal, state or local government. I'm not a university professor, teacher or student. I'm not personally affected by rising consumer prices. I don't live near oil or gas drilling. I'm not worried about the financial stability of Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare and the Veterans Affairs Department. I'm not affected by dictates issued on and after Jan. 20. In 1946, German Pastor Martin Niemöller berated himself for failing to oppose Nazi attacks on Communists, Socialists, trade unionists and Jews, until he, too, was attacked and no one remained to speak on his behalf. I'm not waiting. Paul L. Newman, Merion Station, Pa. Trump keeps promise Nearly 80 million Americans voted for Donald Trump, including eight counties in California that were blue in 2020. President Trump is keeping to his promise to all Americans, even if you didn't vote for him. Trump is president of the United States, and that makes him accountable to U.S. citizens, not those who are here illegally. Christine Larson, Castro Valley
Miami Herald
18-06-2025
- 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
18-06-2025
- 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
17-06-2025
- 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.
