Amnesty to travelers: ‘a guarantee of not being shot is impossible’ in the US
Amnesty International took the unprecedented step of issuing its own government style travel advisory warning travelers in the US about the risk of gun violence.
It follows a weekend of mass shootings that left 31 dead.
It gave global travelers heading to the US a stark warning: ‘A guarantee of not being shot is impossible.’
In El Paso, Texas, 22 people were gunned down, and just a few hours later nine more people perished in Dayton, Ohio.
Days earlier three people were shot dead at a food festival.
The organization says gun violence is so rife it constitutes ‘a human rights crisis.’
"The country does not adequately protect people’s right to be safe, regardless of who they might be," said Ernest Coverson, campaign manager for Amnesty’s End Gun Violence Campaign.
It also says a traveler’s race, ethnic background, and gender identity may place them in a higher risk.
"The United States has an obligation… to protect the rights of people to live and move freely without the threat of gun violence," the advisory said.
After the El Paso shooting which targeted Latinos, Venezuela and Uruguay posted travel warnings of their own.
Numerous countries have also recently issued travel warnings including New Zealand, Germany, Japan and China.
While mass shootings are not new, the perceived targeting of ethnic groups is a worry for US tourism.
It has also got Americans on edge.
A motorcycle engine backfired near Times Square in New York City, causing widespread panic.
Fearing the noise was another mass shooting in progress, the rush to flee led to a ‘stampede’ which injured 22.
Four people were taken to hospital.
Some even stormed inside a Broadway theater to seek refuge during a production, which then led to theater-goers also freaking out.
The production of ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ had to be canceled.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025