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Taylor Swift fans in Austria are disappointed after learning that two shows in Vienna have been canceled. The reasons behind the canceled gigs are even more upsetting. A 19-year-old, along with a second suspect, were arrested for planning an attack during the singer’s Eras Tour dates in the country.
Taylor Swift was scheduled to play at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium in back-to-back shows on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Over 65,000 fans are now getting their tickets refunded after authorities thwarted plans to cause serious harm.
Two Suspects Were Planning the Attack
CBS News reports that the public security director of Austria’s interior ministry shared that authorities were alerted to “preparatory actions” for an attack on the show. They were able to assert that the teenage suspect had “a focus” on Swift’s shows for the plan.
The suspects, both Austrian residents, were said by authorities to have been radicalized online. The conversations between them included “concrete preparations for a terrorist attack.” There are also beliefs that both suspects had ties to ISIS.
Bomb-Making Materials Were Recovered
Austrian investigators did not comment on how advanced the plot was and whether they believed it posed a realistic threat. A sweep of the 19-year-old suspect’s home did produce chemicals used in bomb-making. Investigators believe, as a result of the evidence found, that there was motivation and planning toward producing functional bombs, per ABC News.
Taylor Swift has yet to publicly comment on the cancellations. The ongoing investigation into what was being planned and how it came to be.
The threat brings to mind the harrowing incident on May 22, 2017 at Manchester Arena in the United Kingdom, where a suicide bomber detonated an explosive amid an Ariana Grande concert. Twenty-two people, including children, were killed, and over 100 people were injured.
Taylor Swift Has Admitted to Fearing an Attack Herself
In a 2019 interview with Elle following her Reputation tour, Taylor Swift called the possibility of something catastrophic happening at one of her shows her “biggest fear.”
After the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting, I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn’t know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months. There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense, and effort put into keeping my fans safe.
Taylor Swift, Elle
In getting candid about her fears, Swift also admitted that her concerns about safety “continued into my personal life.”
My fear of violence has continued into my personal life. I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds. Websites and tabloids have taken it upon themselves to post every home address I’ve ever had online. You get enough stalkers trying to break into your house and you kind of start prepping for bad things. Every day I try to remind myself of the good in the world, the love I’ve witnessed and the faith I have in humanity. We have to live bravely in order to truly feel alive, and that means not being ruled by our greatest fears.
Taylor Swift, Elle
However you may personally feel about Taylor Swift, you can understand why the looming threat is so unnerving for the pop star. She has the safety of not only herself and her loved ones to worry about but also that of thousands of fans in attendance. The decision made was surely not an easy one for the pop star, or authorities. Safety is of utmost importance, especially in large crowds.
