US warns of threats against LGBTQ+ community during Pride

The US government warned citizens living abroad and those identifying as LGBTQ+ to exercise increased caution during Pride month in June in a travel advisory issued on Friday.

The advisory itself was a standard renewal of advice telling Americans to exercise increased caution against possible attacks by violent extremist groups while they are overseas.

But the latest travel advisory specified a potential for "foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+" community. 

Pride events in the US and other countries around the world in June bring together people to celebrate inclusion. The advisory asked Americans overseas to stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations.

Rise in threats against LGBTQ community ahead of Pride 

The global notice came three days after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security issued a similar public warning that armed foreign extremist groups or their followers may target events and venues linked to Pride month.

US officials said nothing about the basis of the warnings. Some countries in recent months have passed anti-LGBTQ laws.

The Iraqi parliament, for example, approved a law late last month that would impose a sentence of 10 to 15 years for same-sex relations and a prison term of one to three years for people who undergo or perform gender-transition surgeries.

A Uganda court upheld a law last month that allows the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and up to 14 years in prison for a suspect convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality.”

In the United States, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest organization devoted to the rights of  LGBTQ Americans, declared a state of emergency for members of the community after a record number of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in state legislatures last year.

rm/sms (Reuters, AP)