‘Exercise a high degree of caution,’ Canada issues warning to travellers going to Europe due to ongoing terrorism threats – NOW Toronto

The federal government is advising Canadians who plan on travelling to Europe to be extra cautious due to threats of terrorism. 

On Friday, the government updated its travel advisories for several countries in Europe including Italy, France, Denmark, Germany, Spain, and Sweden.

The advisory states visitors should “exercise a high degree of caution” in these countries, which means there could be “certain safety and security concerns” or the situation could change quickly. Additionally, visitors should be aware of their surroundings, monitoring local media and following instructions by local authorities. 

The government says this comes following an existing “threat of terrorism in Europe.” 

“There is a threat of terrorism in Europe. Terrorists have carried out attacks in several European cities and further attacks elsewhere in Europe are likely. Attacks in Italy cannot be ruled out,” the warning for travelling to Italy said. 

The advisory goes on to say that some targets include government buildings, schools, places of worship, airports or other transportation hubs, and public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites popular to foreigners. 

Meanwhile, in France, there is an “attack emergency” alert. On Mar. 24, the Prime Minister of France raised the security threat level within the “Vigipirate” plan (France’s national security alert system) to its highest level. The decision was made after a terrorist attack in Moscow claimed by the Islamic State.

Those travelling to France can expect enhanced security measures and increased police presence at the border and in public places. 

The advisory also adds that those who plan on being in France for the Paris Olympic Games from July 26 to Aug. 11 and the Paralympic Games from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8 should expect an increased presence of security forces, major disruptions to traffic, and large crowds.

For the full list of Canada’s travel advisories, click here.