The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have issued a warning that Pride month celebrations, which run through June, might be targeted by foreign terrorist organizations or their supporters.
The release, dated 10 May, does not mention any specific threats or intelligence suggesting that any event, celebration or individual has been targeted.
But it said foreign terrorist organizations’ (FTO) “efforts to commit or inspire violence against holiday celebrations, including Pride celebrations or LGBTQIA+-related venues, are compounded by the current heightened threat environment in the United States and other western countries”.
The release also noted: “FTOs and their supporters have previously promoted anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric and targeted LGBTQIA+ related events or venues for attacks.”
The domestic security agencies published a list of signs to watch out for, including violent threats made online or in the mail.
Potential attackers, it said, might also try to take photos of security-related equipment or access points at events; attempt to get into restricted areas or impersonate law enforcement personnel; or chat up staff at various venues to get information such as what types of events are upcoming and what the crowd sizes might be.
The agencies noted that 12 June marks the eighth anniversary of an attack on Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people and wounded 53. The club was celebrating an LGBTQ+ “Latin Night” when a gunman, Omar Mateen, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group, opened fire.
In June last year, three alleged sympathizers of the Islamic extremist group were arrested in Vienna for attempting to attack a Pride event there.
Officials have not limited their warnings to LGBTQ+ events. On Monday, the attorney general, Merrick Garland, warned of mounting violent threats against election workers across the country, and vowed that the justice department would be “relentless” in prosecuting those who threaten the democratic process.
The alert focusing on Pride celebrations also noted that in February last year, English-language messaging from IS featured an article focused on anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric “and rallied against the growth and promotion of the LGBTQIA+ community”.
The same IS messaging, the alert said, also called for followers to conduct attacks on unidentified “soft targets”, a law enforcement term for nightclubs, restaurants and other mostly unguarded civilian gathering places, “although the attacks and targets were not specific to LGBTQIA+ venues”.
A Department of Homeland Security official told USA Today: “We urge the public to stay vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activity to their local law enforcement.”
