Amnesty issues ‘travel warning’ for U.S. because of gun violence

By AT editor - 8 August 2019 at 6:07 am
Amnesty issues ‘travel warning’ for U.S. because of gun violence

The global human rights organization Amnesty International has issued a travel warning calling for anyone considering travel to the United States to “exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the country due to rampant gun violence, which has become so prevalent in the United States that it amounts to a human rights crisis.”

The organization said its warning is meant to mirror those that the U.S. Department of State issues when giving travel advice for its citizens headed to other countries.

“People in the United States cannot reasonably expect to be free from harm – a guarantee of not being shot is impossible,” said Ernest Coverson, a campaign manager for Amnesty’s End Gun Violence Campaign. “Once again, it is chillingly clear that the U.S. government is unwilling to ensure protection against gun violence.”

The travel advisory lists issues including hate crimes, racism and discrimination, highlighting that “the traveler’s race, country of origin, ethnic background, sexual orientation or gender identity may place them at higher risk after recent attacks linked to white supremacist ideology.”

The Amnesty warning comes after the latest round of mass shootings inspired by extremist ideology claimed at least 33 lives in Texas and Ohio, in two separate shootings on the same day. U.S. President Donald Trump visited both cities on Wednesday, in a move that enflamed passions on both sides of the deeply divisive gun control and immigration debates.

The shootings prompted countries including Venezuela and Uruguay to issue travel warnings concerning the U.S., while other countries (Japan among them) have had diplomats in the U.S. call on citizens to stay alert.

 

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