Just ahead of June Pride Month, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a cautionary alert regarding potential threats from foreign terrorist organizations. The public service announcement highlights the historical use of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and the targeting of LGBTQ+ events and venues by many foreign terrorist organizations. In February 2023, ISIS circulated messages containing anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and urged followers to target unspecified soft targets. Additionally, three ISIS sympathizers were apprehended for plotting an attack on Pride in Vienna, Austria, in June 2023. The announcement also mentioned June 12, which marks the eighth anniversary of the Pulse shooting in Orlando. In recent years, threats against Pride events have been numerous, with various Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) issuing warnings. However, a more alarming trend emerges from threats by domestic terrorists. A report released in 2022 revealed that instances of anti-LGBTQ+ mobilization had surged by over four times from 2020 to 2021, and this concerning trend continued into 2022. In 2023, another report revealed a threefold increase in incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism during Pride events compared to the year before. Almost half of these reported incidents were carried out by individuals linked to extremist organizations such as the Proud Boys and Patriot Front.
