Friday Risk Watch: June 23, 2023

Stay ahead of potential risks and ensure the safety of your employees with?Friday Risk Watch, a weekly newsletter curated by our?Global Intelligence team.

In each issue of Friday Risk Watch, you can expect?curated updates on emerging risks, geopolitical developments, weather forecasts, and much more. We'll keep you informed about the latest trends and incidents that could impact your organization's operations, allowing you to make informed decisions and mitigate potential risks.

What We're Watching:

Demonstrations Across the U.S. Commemorating Fall of Roe V. Wade: Urban areas throughout the U.S. are?expected to see demonstrations?Saturday marking one year since the fall of Roe v Wade.

• Groups opposed to the Supreme Court's 2022 decision are organizing gatherings nationwide, anchored by a "National Day of Action" in Washington, D.C. where demonstrators will march to the Supreme Court.
• Those who support the overturning of Roe also intend to demonstrate, including in the nation's capital, setting up the potential for rival gatherings to cross paths.
• The primary impact of most demonstrations is likely to be road disruption; however, isolated clashes in areas where opposing actions occur are possible.?

Greece, Guatemala Prepare for National Elections on Sunday Amid Unrest: Ahead of its second parliamentary election in as many months, Greece’s government faces criticism over a recent shipwreck that resulted in the deaths of potentially hundreds of migrants.

• Demonstrations immediately after the incident drew thousands of participants in cities across the country, and more are expected over the weekend.
• In Guatemala, the government is deploying tens of thousands of security personnel to secure Sunday’s vote, with a special focus on municipalities that election officials have identified as being at “high risk of electoral violence.” Politically-motivated attacks and voter intimidation marred the 2019 elections.
• Heightening tensions further, the government has?banned?several opposition candidates from participating in the election, including businessman Carlos Pineda, who had been leading in the polls before his disqualification.?The dismissals have led to scattered protests. ?

Nashville Pride Moves Forward Despite Mass Shooting Threat: The final full weekend of June Pride Month will see marches and festivals in major cities across the globe.

• In the U.S., thousands are expected to hit the streets in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and multiple other metros, including Nashville, where Pride organizers are moving forward with their events despite?news this week?that a Kentucky man was charged for threatening to conduct a mass shooting at the weekend gathering.
• Outside the U.S., AlertMedia's Global Intelligence Team will be keeping a close eye on Sunday's Pride March in Istanbul, Türkiye.
• Pride marches have been banned in the city since 2015, and authorities have a history of forcefully breaking up events that move forward.?Police will likely act against those who end up gathering on Sunday.?

Israeli Judicial Reform Protests Likely to Intensify and Violence Escalates in West Bank:?Nationwide protests against a series of proposed judicial reforms that already routinely attract tens of thousands of participants are likely to see an even greater turnout Saturday.

• Early this week, the ruling coalition announced they were resuming efforts to push through the contentious legislation. Opponents claim that the new laws will gut Israel’s democracy.
• The protests follow a week of escalating violence in the West Bank, precipitated by an Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp on Monday that killed at least seven Palestinians.
• An?apparent?retaliatory shooting near the settlement of Eli killed four Israelis and triggered repeated waves of attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinian villages that left at least one person dead.?The Israeli government has?said that they?plan to?accelerate the construction of additional settlements.

Atlantic Ocean Seeing Record-Setting Tropical Storms: In the tropics, Tropical Storm Bret lashed the Lesser Antilles with hurricane-force wind gusts, heavy rain, and localized flooding over the last 24 hours.

• Over 60% of St. Lucia lost power during the height of the storm. Fortunately, the storm peaked without ever fully reaching hurricane strength and is expected to dissipate over the central Caribbean Sea.
• Farther east, Tropical Storm Cindy has formed in the central Atlantic but is currently expected to miss the Caribbean islands. This is record-setting activity for this part of the Atlantic so early in the year. ?

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