Is it safe to travel in Europe? · 8:59am May 22nd, 2016
This time last year, the idea of a suicide bombing in a crowded stadium accompanied by mass shootings would have seemed like the stuff of nightmares -- a true worst-case scenario. In November 2015, however, that nightmare became a reality with the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, in which 130 people were killed in the worst act of violence France has seen since the Second World War.
The attacks didn't stop there. In March 2016, thirty-five people were killed when bombs exploded at an airport and metro station in Brussels. Just this week, English soccer team Manchester United's home stadium of Old Trafford was evacuated after a suspicious device was found in the toilets there. That turned out to be a false alarm, but the reaction spoke worlds of the fear and tension that has become palpable here in Europe. Because a suicide bombing in a stadium is no longer a worst-case scenario -- it is a very real and very frightening possibility.
By now, we've all heard of the threat facing Europe from Islamic extremists both at home and abroad. We've all seen the pictures of heavily armed police and military patrolling outside famous European landmarks. My American readers will have heard the warnings to avoid unnecessary travel to Europe, and may have friends or family who quickly cancelled planned vacations. So, the question remains -- is it safe to travel to Europe?
I just recently returned from a four-day holiday in Paris, and I must admit that I had my misgivings about the journey. My home country of Ireland may be a potential target (in the sense that pretty much every Western country is a potential target), but it's still very low on the radar compared to the likes of France and Germany. Would it have been safer for me to stay at home? Probably.
But would it have been the sensible thing to do?
I'm not going to lie and say that everything is absolutely hunky-dory in Europe at the moment. Security in Paris has been beefed up considerably. I counted no less than three armed patrols -- two military, one police -- during my stay there. I had to submit to a bag search at the Eiffel Tower just to use the bathroom. France is a nation under threat, and to assume otherwise would simply be naive.
But is it truly dangerous to travel there? In a word -- no.
As is usually the case, the state of fear that has been created is due in no small part to media sensationalism. I wouldn't say the media are outright lying, but they definitely amped the attacks up far more than was necessary. "The terrorists who struck at the heart of Europe", declared one headline after the Brussels bombings. That article was filled with language like "death and destruction", "maimed", and "at war", the kind of language designed to whip up high emotions... and keep people coming back to buy more copies of the Irish Independent, I'm sure.
When it comes to terrorism, however, we need to look at it not emotionally -- that way lies madness -- but in a cold, statistical manner. And statistically, your odds of being killed in a terrorist attack overseas are one in 20 million. For reference, your odds of being struck by lightning are one in 10 million. Your odds of being killed by gunfire in the United States are one in 32,250. Yes, the risk is there, but it's not nearly as high as the media would have you believe.
On top of that, Europe hasn't just been sitting on its arse doing nothing to safeguard itself. The police and military forces all over the continent are taking every step they can to protect us... and you. Tourism is very important to many European economies, and the last thing Europe wants is for people to stop coming here because they don't feel safe.
I've heard so many people say they're too scared to travel to Europe for fear of what might happen, and I want to say this to them; don't be scared. Be cautious, but don't be scared. Keep your passport and ID on hand, follow whatever advice you're given during your stay, and travel with confidence. I, for one, refuse to allow a bunch of terrorist thugs to force me to live in fear, and you shouldn't let them force you to live in fear, either.
Even after centuries of warfare and attacks, Europe is still here. She's still strong. And she's still ready to greet you and keep you safe, whoever you might be.
I'm now quite sure what to say except yep, pretty much.
Have a virtual upvote.