Rocky Road For Bernal Heights Boulder, Now Painted For Black Lives Matter Again

The Bernal Heights rock has "Black Lives Matter" painted on it once again.
Photo credit Jim Taylor/KCBS Radio

It's fast becoming San Francisco's best-known new landmark.

For years, the Bernal Heights rock was a source of neighborhood expression. Lately, the rock finds itself in the headlines because of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The rock has been painted and repainted a half dozen times this week alone.

"It usually recognizes something seasonal like Gay Pride," one woman told KCBS Radio. "I think it’s been a candy corn at Halloween. But I’ve been watching the painting and the un-painting and the painting for Black Lives Matter."

The rock was last painted over by the San Francisco Department of Public Works in response to a 311 service request.

The acting director has since apologized.

"This was an extremely unfortunate mistake that should have never happened," Acting Public Works Director Alaric Degrafinried said in a statement posted to Twitter. "San Francisco Public Works stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement, and we join people across our country and world in grief and anger at our local and national systems that perpetuate violence against Black people and people of color."

It’s one of many Bay Area neighborhoods that now feature some sort of public space where widespread sentiment is displayed, including a giant "Black Lives Matter" street art project in downtown Oakland.

It looks as if the rock's new Black Lives Matter paint job will stick this time.