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Countries Urge Citizens to Keep Guarded When Visiting U.S. Cities | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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People sit along Market Street during a rally against recent police shootings around the country, in San Francisco, California on July 8, 2016. Thousands of protesters took to the streets in US cities on July 8 after a black extremist shot dead five cops during a peaceful march against police brutality in Texas, A.F.P


With a series of violent protests rocking U.S. cities, after a string of police shootings of black Americans, a total of three countries have warned their citizens to keep their guard up when visiting the States.

The United States regularly issues travel warnings urging Americans to either avoid or exercise caution in countries marred by violence or political instability.

Now America is the focus of concern by foreign governments in the Middle East and Caribbean.

Protesters marching in U.S. cities throughout the weekend, lead to numerous arrests, scuffles and injuries in confrontations between police and demonstrators; all of that was reason enough to concern other countries with the well-being of their citizens present at cities witnessing the demonstrations.

The U.S. embassy of Bahrain, a Middle Eastern island nation, on Saturday urged citizens via twitter to “be cautious of protests or crowded areas occurring around the U.S.”

Bahamas, a Caribbean nation where most people identify as being of African heritage, on Friday warned its people to be careful when visiting U.S. cities rocked by “shootings of young black males by police officers.”

“In particular young males are asked to exercise extreme caution in affected cities in their interactions with the police. Do not be confrontational and cooperate,” Bahamas foreign ministry said in a travel advisory.

The United Arab Emirates urged its students and other citizens in the United States to also be careful, using similar language the U.S. State Department employs when warning Americans about countries that have fallen victim to attacks by extremists.

“Please be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid crowded places when possible,” the UAE embassy said in a statement that urged people to stay away from any U.S. demonstrations. “Exercise particular caution during large festivals or events, be alert and stay safe.”