Three highly anticipated Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna this week have been abruptly cancelled after authorities announced the arrest of two suspects accused of plotting a terror attack targeting the pop star’s shows, per abcnews.go.com.
According to officials, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested on Wednesday morning, followed by the arrest of a second suspect in the afternoon. The suspects are alleged to have radicalised themselves online and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in early July.
“We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a statement from concert organiser Barracuda Music said. “All tickets will be automatically refunded.”
Vienna was reportedly a target of the planned attack, with the 19-year-old suspect said to have a particular focus on Swift’s Vienna concerts. Information about the threat was provided to Austrian authorities by U.S. intelligence and passed along to Europol.
Though the plot was allegedly inspired by ISIS, authorities do not believe it was directly orchestrated by the terrorist group. Investigators found explosive precursor chemicals, indicating a degree of planning and motivation, but are uncertain whether a functioning bomb had been produced.
Before the cancellation, security at the concerts was set to be significantly increased, as the shows were expected to draw over 65,000 attendees per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans expected outside the venue.
The cancellation comes as a major disappointment to Swift’s devoted fans in Austria, who were eagerly anticipating the pop star’s first-ever performances in the city. The “Eras Tour,” which kicked off in March 2023, has been a record-breaking success, and Swift had been scheduled to bring the tour to a close in Vancouver, Canada, on December 8.
- Featured image: Taylor Swift/Thomas Niedermueller/TAS24/Getty Images
