“Pride flag” by quinn.anya is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
The State Department has issued a travel warning for Americans attending Pride celebrations abroad, citing the potential for “foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events.”
The travel advisory, issued on Friday, warned U.S. citizens to “stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations and venues frequented by LGBTQI+ persons.”
“Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the warning urged. “The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events and advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.”
The department also urged travelers to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to “receive information and alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency overseas.”
The Hill reports, “a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on whether the advisory was preceded by a specific event or threat made against the LGBTQ community.”
“The U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “We take seriously our commitment to provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions.”
The FBI and State Department warned of the potential for terrorist attacks on Pride celebrations in the U.S. last month.
“FTO efforts to commit or inspire violence against holiday celebrations, including Pride celebrations or LGBTQIA+-related venues, are compounded by the current heightened threat environment in the United States and other western countries,” the agencies said in a joint advisory.
“FTOs and their supporters have previously promoted anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and targeted LGBTQIA+ related events or venues for attacks.”
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