State Department warns of terrorist attacks at Pride events abroad
The State Department has issued a global security alert warning Americans abroad that terrorists could target lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people and LGBTQ-related events during Pride Month in June.
“Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises United States citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” the warning, issued on Friday, reads. “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.”
Officials advised Americans abroad to stay alert in tourism districts, at Pride events and in venues frequented by LGBTQ people. They added that before traveling overseas, Americans should enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts from the department and to make it easier for officials to locate Americans in emergency scenarios.
Authorities did not specify if there are any countries or regions of the world that are of particular concern. They also did not name any foreign terrorist organizations suspected of potentially planning attacks.
A spokesperson for the State Department said in a statement Monday that the department is committed “to provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable information about every country in the world so they can make informed travel decisions” but did not specify if the officials know where the potential threat is more pronounced.
The State Department issued a similar warning in October about extremist attacks against Americans overseas, shortly after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. That alert did not mention potential threats against LGBTQ people or events specifically. In Monday’s statement, the spokesperson said the department issued Friday’s alert “in anticipation of the many Pride celebrations held every year in June.”
Neela Ghosal, the senior director of law, policy and research at the LGBTQ human rights group Outright International, criticized the State Department for not providing further information.
“I understand that the State Department feels that they do have an obligation to let people know about these types of threats, and I think it’s important to take that seriously,” she said. “But without a level of specificity, it just creates a bit of stress and panic without anybody having valuable information on how they might change their behavior to avoid a risk.”
Ghosal added that terrorism is one of several ways LGBTQ people are targeted when they organize publicly. Research from an upcoming Outright International report shows that Pride events were attacked by far-right actors or were circumvented by governments in Turkey, Georgia and Mongolia last year.
“Given the state of the world right now, LGBTQ activists everywhere, unfortunately, know that we are potential targets,” she said. “And so in some ways, this was just a reflection of one of the many ways in which we are targets, whether it’s from terrorism or from hostile governments or from ordinary members of the public.”
The State Department’s warning Friday follows a similar alert issued jointly by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security this month regarding threats of terrorist attacks at upcoming Pride events in the U.S. The agencies similarly did not name any cities, states or venues suspected of potential threats.
The FBI and DHS did, however, cite anti-LGBTQ messaging from the Islamic State terror group and an attempted knife attack by three alleged ISIS sympathizers in Vienna last year as reasons for concern. The federal agencies also mentioned an increase in potential violence due to the eighth anniversary next month of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. The 2016 massacre left 49 people dead and 53 wounded.
The LGBTQ media advocacy group GLAAD recorded at least 145 incidents of harassment, vandalism and assault directed at LGBTQ people and events during Pride Month in the U.S. last year.
Source » yahoo.com
