GLOBAL SITUATION ALERT: Potential Civil Unrest-United States, Europe, & Asia

On Saturday, 17 October, the No Kings movement is holding a nationwide day of action across the United States.  More than 2,500 events were reported on the campaign map, with activities planned in all 50 states.  The initiative, titled No Kings: Vote Early, combines rallies and community gatherings with efforts to encourage early voting and voter participation ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on 3 November.

Related events under the banners No Tyrants and No Kings are also planned in several countries outside the United States, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Japan.  Additional events may take place in other countries.

Organizers have emphasized peaceful demonstrations and nonviolence. However, as with any public gathering, the possibility of isolated confrontations or other disruptions cannot be entirely ruled out.

Mitigation Measures

• Enroll in a Safe Traveler program to receive warnings from your preferred embassy, if applicable. 

• Prepare for disruptions caused by protests, such as increased traffic and security, blocked roads, and potential travel into demonstration sites.

• Confirm all travel plans prior to departure.

• Monitor the local situation (local and social media, embassy, POC at destination, etc.) prior to any travel.

• Adhere to any road closures and do not try to go around barriers.

• Allow extra time to travel to/from destination, airport, accommodations, etc.

• Check airline app for the most up-to-date flight status, if applicable.

• Best practices for large-scale events or crowd situations: 

  • Remain alert for changes in the demeanor of the crowd body or any signs of violence or other rapid escalation.

  • Continually assess the situation and note routes (more than one is preferred) to get out of an area quickly if needed. 

  • Avoid interactions with aggressive individuals.

  • Avoid entering into areas or locations that could easily lead to a crowd crush situation (bottlenecked, very limited and/or unclear exit areas). 

    
    

DISCLAIMER and Hold Harmless Disclaimer: LSDS™ gathers information from multiple sources and offers insight and perspective to travelers. Sources cannot be validated for accuracy in every instance. Travelers assume all risk associated with their travel and are responsible for the decisions associated with travel and for their own safety. Users of this reference document agree, to hold harmless LSDS™ (LLC) its employees and clients associated with any risk or injury incurred during travel.