Threat of terrorist attacks forces cancellation of three Taylor Swift concerts

The singer, who is a worldwide success with her The Eras Tour, has announced the cancellation of her concerts scheduled for the next few days in Vienna due to the threat of an alleged Islamist attack. The police have arrested two suspects, one of them an Austrian national and 19 years old, who had been followed for weeks and who had planned to attack outside the stadium where Taylor Swift was to perform.

Franz Ruf, director of public security at Austria’s interior ministry, said authorities were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack “and also that the 19-year-old perpetrator, who has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group and was radicalised via the internet, was targeting Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna” and that “chemical substances under evaluation” had been confiscated.

Security forces had planned to deploy special units, such as undercover personnel, canine units and the intervention of the Cobra unit to guarantee the safety of those attending the show, but Taylor Swift’s organization has finally decided not to take any risks and cancel the concerts and has communicated this through social networks: “‘The Eras Tour’ has been canceled due to confirmation from government officials of the planned terrorist attack,” read the text. “With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for the safety of everyone.”

According to Vienna State Police Director Gerhard Pürstl, around 65,000 spectators were expected to attend each day, with an additional 15,000 to 20,000 people in the vicinity of the Ernst-Happel stadium. Hours before the cancellation, dozens of people had already collected VIP passes. The tickets, the organisers have announced, will be refunded within the next 10 days.