SFPD arrests man in pink triangle vandalism

San Francisco police arrested a man Tuesday after officers saw him vandalize the pink triangle atop Twin Peaks, the department stated via Facebook. The oversized LGBTQ symbol is erected each June in recognition of Pride Month and serves as a beacon of equality visible across the city and parts of the East Bay.

Lester Bamacajeronimo, 19, of San Francisco, was taken into custody, the San Francisco Police Department stated. The alleged incident occurred at about 12:29 p.m. June 17.

“Officers arrived on scene and observed a male subject actively defacing the pink triangle memorial art installation,” SFPD stated. “Officers pursued the male suspect on foot and detained him without further incident.”

Police seized as evidence vandalism tools, according to the statement.

“This vandalism is unacceptable in our city and the San Francisco Police Department condemns this act,” the statement read. “San Francisco’s pink triangle is a powerful symbol of our city’s commitment to supporting LGBT rights and commemorates the victims of the past. We stand united with our LGBT community this month and every month as we continue to fight for equality.”

Pink triangle co-founder Patrick Carney, a gay man, said that the damage is extensive; 26 of the panels will need to be replaced as they are covered in black paint.

“Since dismantling part of the pink triangle and then reconstructing it again is such a chore, plus I would have to go clear down to Fremont to get the extra tarps and get a rental truck to do that, I might just paint over it with the correct color,” Carney wrote. “Of course, that is a temporary fix since the paint will just flake off, so all those 26 tarps will have to be thrown away.”

The 30th edition of the pink triangle was installed during a ceremony Saturday, June 7. Carney started the annual display in 1996 to add some color to the Pride parade and to remember a dark chapter in world history.

The pink triangle symbol was used by the Nazis at the concentration camps during World War II to brand suspected homosexuals. Similar symbols, such as a Star of David for Jewish prisoners, marked others who were imprisoned, millions of whom died at the camps during the Holocaust. Much later, the pink triangle was reclaimed by the LGBTQ community as a symbol of empowerment.

"It is actually quite gratifying and rewarding that so many people are still interested in helping to construct this giant warning and reminder of what extreme hatred can lead to," Carney said at the ceremony. "There have probably been 10,000-plus volunteers over the decades. This is a massive community building project and a giant in-your-face educational tool to teach people of what can happen if we don't remain vigilant."

On Tuesday, Carney said that it was troubling that the vandalism occurred.

“It’s always sad when the pink triangle is vandalized, if this can happen in San Francisco, I think what happens in other parts of the country,” he wrote in an email.

Carney said there is another kind of vandalism going on at the site.

“People keep putting these stickers near the informational sign I put up to explain the project,” Carney wrote.

Those stickers read, “Stop transing kids.” They state they are paid for by “Disaffected Democrats and terrified parents.”

Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who is Jewish, condemned the vandalism.

“Today’s vandalism of the pink triangle is yet another horrific attack on the LGBTQ community – at a time when our community is under intense assault on a daily basis,” Wiener stated Tuesday night. “The pink triangle is a symbol of our community’s resilience in the face of hatred and violence. The Nazis tried to exterminate us, and we survived. Today, we face another severe threat – a president and his movement trying to erase us entirely and force us back into the closet. 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,” he added. “Nothing will stop this community’s spirit, and I’m confident the Pink Triangle will be repaired and back in order quickly.”

The incident is not the first time the pink triangle has been vandalized. In 2009, a fire broke out on Twin Peaks just hours before the Pride parade, leading to an arson investigation. Carney added that his spouse, Hossein Carney, Ph.D., was attacked while they were taking it down in 2001 or 2002.

Updated, 6/17/25: This article has been updated with comments from pink tirangle co-founder Patrick Carney and a description of the damage.
Updated, 6/18/25: This article has been udpated with comments from state Senator Scott Wiener.