A Q&A with Federation Senior Community Security Director, Rafael Brinner

Following the antisemitic attacks in Washington, D.C. and Boulder, the Federation assembled a larger safety team this year for the San Francisco Pride Parade. While there were no specific threats to the Jewish contingent or the parade itself, it was essential to have a dedicated group of safety monitors marching with the contingent to put people at ease and ensure a good response was on hand if things took an unexpected turn. When our go-to security plans were upended by unforeseen circumstances, we successfully improvised to find a solution.

Q: Security at the San Francisco Pride Event was a real success this year, despite some surprises leading up to it. Can you tell us about it?

Rafael Brinner: Well, we started to pull in connections and enlisted the help of a partner we’ve worked with in the past. He was able to assemble a safety team of eight people — seven team members plus himself — to serve as the central safety team for the Jewish contingent in the Pride Parade.

It was not our conventional approach to things, but it met the need. As they did last year, the San Francisco Police Department supplied four bicycle officers to accompany the contingent, and the safety team was the go-between for people marching and the police. If there were concerns or security incidents that developed, then those four police officers would be the primary response, while the safety team could assist with situational awareness, de-escalation, and first aid.

Q: What were some of the biggest risks or concerns going into the event?

Rafael Brinner: The concerns, I think, were primarily driven by the attack outside the Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. in May, and the firebomb attack on a vigil for the hostages in Boulder, Colorado on June 1. That, I think, really struck people as a frightening development because it happened in a public place, and people were marching in honor of the hostages and were attacked.

I talk a lot about how these attacks drive up people’s threat perceptions and instigate a lot of fear. That’s what they’re designed to do. One form of resistance to that kind of intimidation is to continue to live our lives and defy that effort to instill fear in us.

The importance of security is not so much to counter a threat as to put people at ease and ensure that a good response is on hand if something takes an unexpected turn.

Q: Did you aim to establish visible or discreet security? Or a mix?

Rafael Brinner: The idea was that people marching in the contingent would know that there were people watching out for them. But it was discreet enough that we didn’t create an impression that we’re somehow a community that has to always be guarded. That defies the spirit of the event. [The Pride Parade] is about joy and celebration, so that needed to be kept front and center.

Q: Was there anything that happened on the day of the parade that you had to respond to?

Rafael Brinner: Nothing happened. It was a completely uneventful day in that nothing untoward happened. It was great. No incidents.

Q: Did you coordinate with any of the organizers of the parade and/or city officials besides the police department?

Rafael Brinner: Mainly it was coordination with SFPD. The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) also worked with the Pride Parade organizers.

Q: The fact that nothing happened is a pretty powerful thing. But was there anything else particularly meaningful that you observed that day?

Rafael Brinner: I think the most powerful testament came from our safety coordinator. He’s Jewish, but the team that he assembled were non-Jews. He told me, “They all remarked on how genuinely thankful people were. Most of them do not interact with many Jews. One of the guys mentioned how he could tell there was fear and concern, and then there was a secure sense. He did not realize how real antisemitism was. We got to educate some folks along the way.”

Q: How would you describe the reception of the Jewish community along the parade route?

Rafael Brinner: Enthusiastic. There was even the occasional “mazel tov” being shouted out from the sidelines. It went well.

Q: How do you see this event contributing to our broader efforts to combat antisemitism through public presence and Jewish joy?

Rafael Brinner: It’s another reminder that we’re in a new normal after October 7, where events, especially events that are not at Jewish organizations, but out in public, need an extra layer of thinking about and planning for security. Not because there’s necessarily going to be a threat, but because we need to do our due diligence as a community and give people the reassurance that we’ve created a safe container around our events.

Q: How did Federation leadership balance caution with courage and choosing to move forward?

Rafael Brinner: We take precautions to ensure that we’re being responsible. But by leading with courage, we set an example that even though these are scary times, just living our lives is a testament to resisting the people who would keep us small or keep us hidden.

Q: What message does participation send to the broader community?

Rafael Brinner: I think there’s also a matter of forming a critical mass of participation. Registrations for the Jewish contingent this year were up over the previous year. So, I think there’s just a huge willingness to participate. And the events of the last year and a half — really, since October 7 — and the rise in antisemitism have manifested in a lot of members of the community feeling a need to connect with others — with fellow Jews, and continue to participate. To do that collectively and show up as a community.

Q: Do you think the safety team’s visible presence helped shift the tone or confidence level for others attending the parade?

Rafael Brinner: It made people feel comfortable. The fact that we had a safety team there really made people feel reassured, including the organizations involved in planning it.

Q: What would you say was the biggest success from a security standpoint?

Rafael Brinner: The biggest success from a security standpoint was giving people a sense that they were not under threat. That they were free to celebrate and be themselves.

Q: What’s your hope for next year’s Pride event and the role that the Federation can play?

Rafael Brinner: My hope for next year is that we’re in a quieter, more peaceful time. That some of the conflicts that are raging right now have been resolved, and that there will be less blending of protests and unrest with an event that’s about celebrating freedom and pride. Just have the Pride Parade be a Pride Parade.

Q: Anything else?

Rafael Brinner: Yes. Something that brought a smile to my face was the design of the contingent’s “Proud and Jewish” T-shirt design: bright pink with white letters, a color scheme both festive and playful. It made me feel like we, as a community, can be part of the larger whole, even in these difficult times.