Amnesty International issues travel warning for U.S.
Armed Policemen gather next to an FBI armoured vehicle next to the Cielo Vista Mall as an active shooter situation is going inside the Mall in El Paso on August 03, 2019. (Photo credit should read JOEL ANGEL JUAREZ/AFP/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Amnesty International has issued a travel warning for the United States.
The group warns people worldwide to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the country due to "rampant gun violence" which it claims has become prevalent in the United States.
The human rights group calls it a "human rights crisis."
It aims to hold up a mirror to the U.S. using the model of the United States Department of State’s travel advice for U.S. travelers to other countries.
The warning tells travelers to be extra vigilant at all times and "be wary of the ubiquity of firearms among the population."
It advises people to avoid places where large numbers of people gather, like houses of worship, schools, shopping malls, and museums.
It suggests using increased caution when visiting bars, nightclubs, and casinos.
"People in the United States cannot reasonably expect to be free from harm – a guarantee of not being shot is impossible," said Ernest Coverson, campaign manager for the End Gun Violence Campaign at Amnesty International USA.
The travel advisory claims that travelers could be at higher risk of being targeted with gun violence due to their gender identity, race, country of origin, ethnic background or sexual orientation.
The warning about the United States joins several others that were issued by countries like Venezuela and Uruguay in the aftermath of recent mass shootings.