State Department issues Travel Alert througout Europe until Sept 2017

[OlsSalt]

Full text from the State Dept website: This is only an alert- not a travel warning

 

The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the continued threat of terrorist attacks throughout Europe. This Travel Alert expires on September 1, 2017.

Recent, widely-reported incidents in France, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom demonstrate that the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS or Da’esh), al-Qa’ida, and their affiliates have the ability to plan and execute terrorist attacks in Europe. While local governments continue counterterrorism operations, the Department nevertheless remains concerned about the potential for future terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens should always be alert to the possibility that terrorist sympathizers or self-radicalized extremists may conduct attacks with little or no warning.

Extremists continue to focus on tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities as viable targets. In addition, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, high-profile events, educational institutions, airports, and other soft targets remain priority locations for possible attacks. U.S. citizens should exercise additional vigilance in these and similar locations, in particular during the upcoming summer travel season when large crowds may be common.

Terrorists persist in employing a variety of tactics, including firearms, explosives, using vehicles as ramming devices, and sharp-edged weapons that are difficult to detect prior to an attack.

If you are traveling between countries in Europe, please check the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate in your destination city for any recent security messages. Review security information from local officials, who are responsible for the safety and security of all visitors to their host country.

[MMDown Under]

Thank you for sharing that information.

[sppunk]

Going to Oslo in three weeks and Berlin in September.

 

Not concerned.

[Skipper's Mom]

We leave for the Baltics, Fjords and Highlands on Wednesday. We will not be deterred.

 

Sent from my XT1064 using Forums mobile app

[OCruisers]

Thanks, always good to be aware of the Travel Alerts.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am not surprised to see this information.

So many bad things are happening in this world.

[erewhon]

Thank you for the information.

[easyboy]

Thanks for sharing the info.

[OlsSalt]

I think I would avoid any political rallies in France right about now.

[boze9999]

Anytime you travel abroad (in good times or "warning times"), you should always register your out of country travels with The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). It is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Go to https://step.state.gov/step/ and register EVERY time you travel outside the United States. By doing so, you'll :

• Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
  
• Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
  
• Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
  

[DeeniEncinitas]

The same thing was issued when we were in Paris this past Sept. when we were there!!! Show caution be observant! All will be fine! We were in France for one month! We saw military around 24/7. It Is a part of

Life! please relax enjoy your Holiday/ vacation!! We had a wonderful time

Both inParis for

2!weeks and Nice for a

Month!

Denise :)

[OlsSalt]

The same thing was issued when we were in Paris this past Sept. when we were there!!! Show caution be observant! All will be fine! We were in France for one month! We saw military around 24/7. It Is a part of

Life! please relax enjoy your Holiday/ vacation!! We had a wonderful time

Both inParis for

2!weeks and Nice for a

Month!

Denise :)

 

From The Guardian today: recommend staying away from political rallies in France

 

May Day in France: six police injured as violent group hijacks Paris march

About 150 people armed with molotov cocktails and stones invade event, with France divided over presidential election

 

 

[bay guy]

The same thing can and has happened in the US with these random acts of violence over the past several months, whether by avowed terrorists or other mentally unstable people.

As we do whenever we travel, just try to be aware of what's happening around you and know where you're going so you're not standing in the middle of the street with a map in your hands, not being able to pay attention to your surroundings.

We have literally passed through 2 sites of terrorist acts (London subway bombing and recent Fort Lauderdale Airport attack) a week before they occurred and we still travel.

Don't let these idiots make you lock yourself in your house out of fear.

[sppunk]

You have a better chance of being beat by a flight attendant getting to Europe anyway. ;)

[taxmantoo]

As as a matter of interest, I just checked the UK, France and Germany Foreign Affairs websites and they all say basically the same thing using nearly the same words about travel to the United States.

That is the world we live in.

[cruisemom42]

From The Guardian today: recommend staying away from political rallies in France

 

May Day in France: six police injured as violent group hijacks Paris march

About 150 people armed with molotov cocktails and stones invade event, with France divided over presidential election

 

This is the kind of situation where a little advance research and reading would pay off. May day (May 1) is traditionally a day in Europe where there are worker demonstrations, strikes, etc. that occasionally can get out of hand. Also France is in the middle of a very controversial election process at the moment.

 

Knowledge of these two things would definitely keep me from venturing out in the midst of a worker demonstration or a political rally. It wouldn't, however, stop me from traveling to France.

[OlsSalt]

This is the kind of situation where a little advance research and reading would pay off. May day (May 1) is traditionally a day in Europe where there are worker demonstrations, strikes, etc. that occasionally can get out of hand. Also France is in the middle of a very controversial election process at the moment.

 

Knowledge of these two things would definitely keep me from venturing out in the midst of a worker demonstration or a political rally. It wouldn't, however, stop me from traveling to France.

 

Agree, one point of these state department alerts is at least to nudge travelers to get up to speed about certain current hot spots that might be in their future travels. Obviously they are not intended to be a global prohibition against travel anywhere in that country or an expectation that people will stay home in order to stay safe.

 

I see them more of an an alert for travelers to obtain a new awareness about current local issues germane to the countries one is choosing to visit. The upcoming elections in France being one of the more immediate ones.

 

I always thought the recommendation "be aware of your surroundings" was essentially meaningless. That advice is valid any time and any where, so how does one become "more" aware of their surroundings.

 

This sort of necessarily vague alert warning falls ultimately into becoming an exercise of random and pure chance. There but for the grace of God go I, when we realize it could have been us sitting in that exact same cafe that we see getting firebombed, even moments later.

 

My own tried and true rule for independent travel was to seek politically unstable countries, off-season to get the best travel bargains and the fewest crowds. And so, we head off to Egypt next January.

[Taters]

Thanks for the information. We are leaving for Europe for our Baltic cruise in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait to get there and as always, will use caution. It's going to be a great trip!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

Thanks for posting the alert.

 

At the end of June I'm sailing 14 nights in the Baltic Sea with a combined three nights in London at both ends. So, my trip includes London, Stockholm and St. Petersburg. Am I thrilled? No. But as so many others have mentioned, the slim threat of a terrorist incident seems to be ever present wherever one is. As the Brits say: "Keep calm and carry on." And keep your whits about you.

[OlsSalt]

Thanks for the information. We are leaving for Europe for our Baltic cruise in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait to get there and as always, will use caution. It's going to be a great trip!

 

One always needs to be on high alert for pick-pockets in St Petersburg. They work in packs and often cell phone ahead to alert their gang members which passengers have what that they want and who looks like easy marks and what number of bus to hang around.

 

DH nearly had his expensive lens twisted from his camera as he was quickly surrounded as he was re-boarding the HAL excursion bus. Being gray haired and older probably made him an easy mark in their minds too. (I started yelling and they quickly dispersed -- they hadn't counted on me, Ha!.)

 

At that same stop I happened to notice one young man surveying the crowds inside St Issacs church looking down to see what the other tourists had in their possession, while everyone else was looking up at the ceilings and the art. I saw him staring intently at my husband's camera. (Ahh, a photography fan I first thought).

 

Only later did I put two and two together, particularly the curiosity of these predatory young men hanging out at all the tourist stops (ahhh, culture vultures) and the ubiquitous men selling gilded "art prints" that come up to you too close for comfort. (ahhh...starving art students)

 

There we were with our bus number stickers in bright neon and it was obvious my husband had an expensive lens on his camera (I know, stupid but it was hard for him to give up - he got sobered up fast after that incident).

 

I also noticed HAL was no longer tagging us in bright neon on our last cruise. Don't know if this is now a change in shore excursion policy, or just a quirk on this last cruise. But that too is a reminder that wandering around with such obvious tourist tags in plain view is not good practice either. I always try to remember some significant article of clothing fellow tour members are wearing if I want to keep track of where the tour group is heading.

[ExpatBride]

I live here and take it with a grain of salt. When/where is there not a continued threat of terrorist attacks these days?

[OlsSalt]

I live here and take it with a grain of salt. When/where is there not a continued threat of terrorist attacks these days?

 

Why do you think the US State Dept issues them, in their graduated state of warnings?

[Cruiser Bruiser]

One always needs to be on high alert for pick-pockets in St Petersburg. They work in packs and often cell phone ahead to alert their gang members which passengers have what that they want and who looks like easy marks and what number of bus to hang around.

 

DH nearly had his expensive lens twisted from his camera as he was quickly surrounded as he was re-boarding the HAL excursion bus. Being gray haired and older probably made him an easy mark in their minds too. (I started yelling and they quickly dispersed -- they hadn't counted on me, Ha!.)

 

At that same stop I happened to notice one young man surveying the crowds inside St Issacs church looking down to see what the other tourists had in their possession, while everyone else was looking up at the ceilings and the art. I saw him staring intently at my husband's camera. (Ahh, a photography fan I first thought).

 

Only later did I put two and two together, particularly the curiosity of these predatory young men hanging out at all the tourist stops (ahhh, culture vultures) and the ubiquitous men selling gilded "art prints" that come up to you too close for comfort. (ahhh...starving art students)

 

There we were with our bus number stickers in bright neon and it was obvious my husband had an expensive lens on his camera (I know, stupid but it was hard for him to give up - he got sobered up fast after that incident).

 

I also noticed HAL was no longer tagging us in bright neon on our last cruise. Don't know if this is now a change in shore excursion policy, or just a quirk on this last cruise. But that too is a reminder that wandering around with such obvious tourist tags in plain view is not good practice either. I always try to remember some significant article of clothing fellow tour members are wearing if I want to keep track of where the tour group is heading.

 

Thanks for all of the above. I'll be very on-guard in SPB. And thanks for validating my hatred of "I'm a tourist--look at me!" labels that tour companies insist we wear. I typically "lose" mine as soon as I can.

[ExpatBride]

Why do you think the US State Dept issues them, in their graduated state of warnings?

 

I think they're stating the obvious and always do this ahead of high travel seasons. I'm American, btw.

[OlsSalt]

I think they're stating the obvious and always do this ahead of high travel seasons. I'm American, btw.

 

Interesting. They always put all of Europe on travel alert before high season? I did not know that.