Tight security at SF Union Square tree lightning

SAN FRANCISCO (Amber Lee) -- On Friday night, Union Square hosted its annual tree lighting ceremony to kick off the holiday season.

It delighted the thousands who gathered to attend the festivities.
"It's a wonderful evening . it's crisp out here ...it's energetic ," said Ramona Elmore, a San Francisco mother of four.

"I just love Christmas time..family time and just celebrating it with everybody," said Mary Mikaili of San Ramon.

But on the back of their minds were safety concerns. They say they're thinking about what happened two weeks ago: the terrorist attacks in Paris.

They admitted they had second thoughts about coming to the festivities.
" That was the first thing I thought about ...big city...San Francisco and it's during the holidays. It's Christmas...the most vulnerable time for people being out," said Clodean Daniloo of Walnut Creek.

On Wednesday, there was a shooting several blocks away at the busy 5th and Mission parking garage at 6:30pm with many people around. Police say it was a targetted shooting and not a terrorist act. But unsettling nonetheless.
　
"It's always the fear of the unknown ...the what if. With the kids out here. we just got to be careful. We got to be alert," said Elmore.

American Idol winner 2007 Jordin Sparks delighted the huge crowd that gathered for the the annual christmas tree lighting ceremony.

On the sidelines, there were protestors holding "Black lives matter "
signs. But the demonstration did not disrupt the event.

The police chief says there are additional layers of security...extra officers: uniformed and plainclothes. "The main thing is we have no threats. We're in contact with the FBI so everything we're doing is out of an abundance of caution," said Police Chief Greg Suhr.

One family tells KTVU they came prepared if something should happen. They designated a meeting spot if they lose each other in the crowd.

But they say the high profile police presence is reassuring.
　
"We just got to trust that our country and the people who run it are going to do what they say they're going to do to protect us,"

The bottom line for everybody who spoke with KTVU: they refuse to allow fear of terrorism disrupt their lives.