No hate crime charge for alleged pink triangle vandal

A 19-year-old San Franciscan has been charged by District Attorney Brooke Jenkins with a number of offenses after allegedly vandalizing the pink triangle installation atop Twin Peaks. However, the defendant was not charged with a hate crime, according to the DA’s office.

Lester Bamacajeronimo was charged last week with vandalism in the amount of over $400, and two other counts of possession of graffiti tools and resisting arrest. He was released on his own recognizance and his next hearing is July 24 in Department 22 of the San Francisco Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street.

Jenkins told the B.A.R. that Bamacajeronimo wasn’t charged with a hate crime because her office did not believe it could prove one beyond a reasonable doubt.

“There is evidence to the contrary, from this young man’s statements to the police, that he was unaware of what the pink triangle represented and he was trying to be artistic in modifying it,” Jenkins said in a phone interview. “When someone can’t articulate or says they can’t articulate or says they don’t understand what a symbol represents, that’s an issue.”

Deputy Public Defender Sarah Hashemi, who is defending Bamacajeronimo, told the B.A.R. June 24 that her client was trying to make the pink triangle into the symbol for the popular "Superman" franchise, and that hopefully it will be resolved in a way that furthers peace and understanding.

"My client is still a teenager who had no idea what pink triangle meant and was embarrassed when officers had to explain it to him," Hashemi stated. "He told officers that he was trying to turn it into a 'Superman' symbol, which shows how naive his mindset is. This is a teachable moment, and I hope we can resolve this case with restorative justice and community service."

As the B.A.R. reported June 17, Bamacajeronimo was arrested by San Francisco police who pursued him on foot after being seen vandalizing the annual symbol of LGBTQ Pride installed each June, according to police. 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 the attack, Carney wrote in a Facebook post that the damaged tarps will not be replaced ahead of its being taken down this weekend. From a distance, such as the annual Pride parade route downtown, it is near impossible to see the defacement that occurred. 

“We will not repair the damage to the Pink Triangle; we will wear this scar as a badge of resilience, courage, and our continuing struggle for equality for the rest of Pride Month,” Carney wrote June 19. “The damage will remain as is, because that sends a powerful message in and of itself. It is important to let people see where hatred can lead. 

“For the last three decades, the Pink Triangle display has served as a giant WARNING and REMINDER of what can happen if hatred is allowed to go unchecked,” he added. “The graffitied and defaced panels illustrate the point of the Pink Triangle display, which is to 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 US and around the world. Their hatred will not dissuade us from being our true selves. We will 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.”

The 30th edition of the pink triangle was installed during a ceremony 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 symbol was used at German 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."

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.

Mayor Daniel Lurie, who was at the installation June 7, stated last week that, “This hateful act of vandalism does not reflect San Francisco’s values and will not be tolerated. Thank you to SFPD for responding quickly and apprehending the suspect.”

Updated, 6/24/25: This article has been updated with comments from DA Brooke Jenkins, and the public defender who is representing the defendant.