


Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s team issued a worldwide travel warning for American citizens, citing the “increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons” over the coming weeks.
“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 State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs warned Friday, adding that travelers should “stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations and venues frequented by LGBTQI+ persons.”
State Department officials issued that alert on the anniversary of the World Health Organization’s decision to cease “classifying homosexuality as a mental disorder.” The State Department’s “Worldwide Caution Security Alert” comes on the heels of a related warning from federal law enforcement agencies.
“FTO [foreign terrorist organization] 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 FBI said in a joint announcement with the Department of Homeland Security. “FTOs and their supporters have previously promoted anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and targeted LGBTQIA+ related events or venues for attacks.”
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Their public service announcement noted the Islamic State “called for followers to conduct attacks on unidentified soft targets” in a February 2023 publication that also included “an article focused on anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric.” They also noted that it was an ISIS sympathizer who murdered 49 people in Orlando, Florida, at Pulse nightclub in June 2016.