Donning pink triangle T-shirts, volunteers worked fast, put together the gay pride symbol an hour ahead of schedule, according to Patrick Carney, founder and yearly organizer of the Pink Triangle. It normally takes close to two hours, with crews beginning at 7 a.m. and finishing up by 9:30 a.m.
"This is by far our biggest turn out. Everyone is wearing their T-shirts, which we wear out of camaraderie," Carney said.
The pink triangle was used by the Nazis in concentration camps to identify and shame homosexuals, Carney said. Now the pink triangle has become a symbol of gay pride.
This year's pink triangle, it's 18th time being fastened to the city's hillside on Christmas Tree Point Road, holds special meeting, according to Carney.
"This is the perfect bookend to the pink triangle. The pink triangle represents what happens when hatred and bigotry become law, and what happened with the Supreme Court this week shows that you can't vote away people's civil rights - constitutionality weighs in," Carney said.
In 1995, the Pink Triangle began as a renegade crafts project, assembled under cover of darkness as protection from police notice, according to the group's website. It is now a tradition embraced by city officials. Each year, a commemoration ceremony takes place once the triangle goes up, Carney said.
This year's honored guests include 11-time Grammy winning conductor and SF Symphony Director Michael Tilson Thomas, state Sen. Mark Leno, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, City Attorney Dennis Herrera, and several city supervisors and SF Pride Parade Community Grand Marshals.
The Commemoration Ceremony will started at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
