Travel guidanceBahamas warns young men traveling to U.S. to “exercise extreme caution” around police

The government of the Bahamas late last week has issued a travel guidance to young Bahamian men travelling to the United States on holiday, warning them to “exercise extreme caution” when interacting with the U.S. police officers.

The travel advisory was issued in the wake of several instances of shooting of black men by police officers.

Quartz reports that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bahamas, an island nation of 300,000 people located off the coast of Florida, said that many Bahamians travel to the United States during the summer months.

“We wish to advise all Bahamians traveling to the United States, but especially to the affected cities, to exercise appropriate caution generally. 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,” the statement read.

“If there is any issue, please allow consular offices for the Bahamas to deal with the issues. Do not get involved in political or other demonstrations under any circumstances and avoid crowds.”

The Bahamas has consulates in New York, Washington, D.C., Miami, and Atlanta, as well as honorary consuls in Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, and Houston.

The U.S. Department of States issues travel advisories for Americans visiting other countries, typically when there is an eruption of violence or an epidemic outbreaks in these countries. In January, for example, the U.S. issued a warning about rising crime in the Bahamian capital of Nassau, leading to bitter complaints from many businesses in the tourism-dependent country.

The Bahamas won independence from Britain on 10 July 1973.