Talking Points: France (April 21, 2017)
Talking Points – France
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The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients when discussing travel to France and recent terror attacks. (Updated April 21, 2017)
1. While there have been high profile attacks since the beginning of 2015, including a recent police shooting on the Champs-Elysées, the U.S. State Department has no Travel Warning or Alert in effect advising Americans against travel to France.
2. All travelers, no matter what country they visit, can take precautions to help ensure their safety and well-being.
3. Safety is our top priority for our clients. We provide them with the facts so they can make informed decisions about their travels.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further illustrate each talking point.
1. While there have been high profile attacks since the beginning of 2015, including a recent police shooting on the Champs-Elysées, the U.S. State Department has no Travel Warning or Alert in effect advising Americans against travel to France.
On April 20, 2017, a gunman opened fire on a police van, in Paris, on the Champs-Elysées, killing one officer.
o “ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on the Champs-Élysées,” according to the Financial Times.
o According to France24, “French security officials are investigating a Thursday night shooting attack on Paris’s Champs-Élysées, which killed one policeman and severely injured two others. The gunman, who was known to police, was shot dead shortly after the attack.”
o The BBC reported, “A car pulled up alongside a police bus just before 21:00 (19:00 GMT) and a man got out, opening fire on the bus with an automatic weapon, Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said. After killing an officer, the man attempted to run away while shooting at other officers, two of whom he injured, the spokesman added. He was then shot dead by security forces.
o According to the UK’s Guardian, “The attacker, a 39-year-old man widely named as Karim Cheurfi, was known to French security services. Media reported he had served nearly 15 years in prison after being convicted of three attempted murders, two against police officers, and was released on parole in 2015.”
“Local media say the 39-year-old lived in the city’s suburbs, and had been seen as a potential Islamist radical,” according to the BBC.
o “It was not the only terrorist threat of the week. French police found 3 kg of homemade explosives and an ISIS flag in the home of a man arrested in Marseilles on Tuesday for planning a terrorist attack,” reported the Financial Times.
France is preparing for its upcoming Presidential elections; the first round of voting will takes place on April 23. The Guardian also reports:
o “Prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said the government had reviewed its extensive election security measures and was ‘fully mobilized’ in the wake of the attack. He appealed for national unity and for people ‘not to succumb to fear.’
o “He said more than 50,000 police and gendarmes and 7,000 soldiers would be on duty for Sunday’s first-round vote in the two-stage election, and nothing could be allowed to ‘hamper this democratic moment.’”
o “The murder of a policeman in a terror attack cast a shadow over the last day of France’s volatile presidential election campaign as candidates debated the country’s status in the EU’s free movement system and the role of Islam,” reports the Financial Times.
Because of attacks in the past two years, a national state of emergency is still in effect, in France. It is set to expire on July 15, after the elections.
o On July 14, 2016 – Bastille Day in France, in Nice, a self-proclaimed ISIS terrorist drove a truck filled with guns, explosives and grenades into a crowd gathered for a fireworks display along the city’s Promenade des Anglais. At least 84 people were killed with three Americans among the dead. An additional 308 people were wounded.
o On November 13, 2015, in Paris, a series of coordinated terror attacks occurred at various locations across the city – including the Bataclan theater, several restaurants and cafes in the 10th and 11th districts and outside the Stade de France – in which 130 people were killed and another 368 were injured, some seriously.
o On January 7, 2015, in Paris, two terrorists broke into a French weekly newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, where they killed 11 and injured another 11.
No Travel Alert or Travel Warning has been issued by the State Department cautioning Americans traveling to France. The U.S. Embassy in Paris issued a “Security Message for U.S. Citizens,” which says in part:
o In the wake of the April 20, 2017, attack on police in Paris and continued terrorist threats against France and Europe detailed in the Department’s Worldwide Caution, we strongly urge U.S. citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. Terrorist groups continue to plot attacks in Europe as foreign fighters return home from Syria and Iraq, while other individuals may be radicalized or inspired by ISIS propaganda. European authorities continue to warn of additional attacks on major events, tourist sites, restaurants, commercial centers, places of worship, and the transportation sector, frequently prompting heightened security at notable public venues and coordinated counterterrorism operations.
o The state of emergency allows the government to prevent the circulation of individuals and to create zones of protection and security. There are reinforced measures throughout the communes in the Ile de France region. These allow for house arrest of any person whose activities are deemed dangerous, the closure of theaters and meeting places, the surrender of weapons, and the possibility of administrative house searches.
o U.S. citizens are encouraged to monitor media and local information sources and factor updated information into personal travel plans and activities.
o U.S. citizens may wish to download the Government of France smartphone application, SAIP, that will alert users to terrorist attacks or other exceptional events. The emergency system sends warnings directly to smartphones, and will include a brief description of what is happening and advice on how to react. The
app is available in both French and English. You can download the SAIP app for Android from the Google Play Store and the SAIP app for IPhone from the iTunes store.
o We strongly encourage U.S. citizens in France to directly contact concerned family members in the U.S. to advise them of your safety.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office does not warn against travel to France, but it does advise the following:
o “There is a high threat from terrorism. Due to ongoing threats to France by Islamist terrorist groups, and recent French military intervention against Daesh (formerly referred to as ISIL), the French government has warned the public to be especially vigilant and has reinforced its security measures.”
o “Around 17 million British nationals visit France every year. Most visits are trouble-free. The most common problem reported is pick-pocketing. See Safety and security.”
The Government of Canada indicates, “There is no nationwide advisory in effect for France. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to the current elevated threat of terrorism.”
2. All travelers, no matter what country they visit, can take precautions to help ensure their safety and well-being.
We recommend that U.S. citizens follow the advice of the State Department and register their travel plans at https://step.state.gov. This will help the State Department contact travelers if there is a family emergency in the U.S., or in the event an emergency transpires in the place where the individual is traveling.
o The U.S. State Department also offers a helpful guide called Traveler’s Checklist which provides additional travel tips.
o Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained through the Consular Information Program documents, by downloading the free Smart Traveler iPhone App, following the State Department on Twitter or the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook. Citizens can also call 888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 202-501-4444 from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
While no one can say with certainty that any destination is 100% safe, we strongly encourage our clients to use care and common sense – no matter where they travel – to maximize their safety and security. For example:
o Leave your itinerary, and passport data page, with a friend or family member back home so you can be contacted in case of an emergency.
o Know and respect the laws in the country you are visiting.
o Remain alert to your surroundings at all times. Follow your instincts and avoid any areas or situations that seem as though they could become dangerous.
o Avoid all demonstrations, as even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly and a foreigner could become a target of harassment. If caught unexpectedly near a demonstration, obey instructions from police and leave the area as quickly as possible.
o Do not display expensive looking jewelry, large amounts of money or other valuable items. Also, do not leave luggage unattended in public areas and do not accept packages from strangers.
o Check with your cell phone provider prior to departure to see if your phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G/4G international networks.
o Check your medical insurance coverage to make sure it applies overseas. If it doesn’t, consider buying travel insurance that covers overseas medical attention and medical evacuation.
3. Safety is our top priority for our clients. We provide them with the facts so they can make informed decisions about their travels.
Our business is founded on repeat customers. Therefore, we want to be sure everything goes off without a hitch.
We provide the facts so our clients can make informed decisions about their travel plans.
We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State website for travel alerts for all destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.
Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may be planning to travel there so they can make determine for themselves if they still wish to travel.
We also work closely with respected airlines, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, tour operators and other suppliers to remain informed of security precautions they’re taking to guard our clients’ safety.