Taylor Swift cancels three concerts in Austria after two suspects ARRESTED for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on the star’s Vienna shows
Taylor Swift has cancelled her three upcoming concerts in Vienna, Austria, after two suspects were arrested on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack at the concerts.
The 19-year-old main suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and the second person in the Austrian capital, said Franz Ruf, director general for public security at the Interior Ministry.
The 34-year-old pop star was scheduled to perform at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion on August 8, 9 and 10. Stricter security measures were reportedly being put in place for the shows, before the shows were canceled.
The suspects, who reportedly radicalized themselves online, wanted to target Vienna for their attack. The 19-year-old specifically targeted Swift’s concert in Vienna, Ruf confirmed.
The 19-year-old man – who lived in his parents’ home with another man – was arrested Wednesday after police searched the home, according to Crown Newspaper.
According to reports, a bomb squad found chemical substances during a raid on the house, which are now being tested to see if they can be used to make a bomb.
The names of the suspects have not yet been released.
Taylor Swift has cancelled her three upcoming concerts in Vienna, Austria, after two suspects were arrested for plotting a terrorist attack on her shows – Swift is pictured performing in London in June
The pop star, 34, was due to perform at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel Stadium on August 8, 9 and 10 (pictured).
Swift’s concert promoter confirmed the cancellation in a statement, citing public safety
The teenager had taken an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) in early July, police said, confirming they were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack.
Law enforcement sources said ABC news information about the threat to the shows came from American intelligence and was passed on to the Austrians and Europol.
Swift’s concert promoter Barracuda Music released a statement saying: ‘Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Vienna Shows Cancelled Due to Government Officials Confirmation of Planned Terrorist Attack
‘Now that government officials have confirmed that a terrorist attack is being planned at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three planned shows for everyone’s safety.
‘All tickets will be automatically refunded within 10 working days.’
Ruf initially said that special attention would be paid to access control and that concertgoers would be well advised to arrive well in advance.
According to the police, 65,000 concertgoers would come to the concerts per day, and another 10,000 to 15,000 fans from outside the region.
Ruf added: “The suspects were focused on the Taylor Swift concerts. We found that he took steps to prepare for the attack. A clear threat was averted.”
Police are investigating other accomplices.
The shows are expected to be attended by 65,000 concertgoers per day, with another 10,000 to 15,000 fans from outside the area, police said – Swift pictured performing in Amsterdam in July
The 152-concert series, which will see Swift perform hits from her 17-year career, is expected to surpass the $2 billion mark by the end of the December season, with the staggering per-night grosses revealed by Variety last month — pictured during a performance in Munich last month
DailyMail.com has contacted Taylor Swift’s representative for comment.
On May 22, 2017, Salman Abedi, 22, carried out a suicide bombing during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena, killing 22 people and injuring 139.
Following the attack, Ariana paused her tour, but returned to the city two weeks later to headline One Love in June 2017.
She made the brave decision to return to the benefit concert, which raised more than £17 million, and saw the audience that had attended her last performance in attendance.
Swift’s Eras Tour concludes on December 8 in Vancouver, Canada.
The 152-concert series, which will feature Swift singing hits from her 17-year career, is expected to gross more than $2 billion by the end of its run, with the staggering per-night grosses generated by Variety last month.
“A source close to the production said early in the Eras Tour era that her average gross per night was $14 million,” the outlet reported. “Others believe that is a very conservative estimate, with a possible total closer to $17 million on at least some nights.”
On May 22, 2017, Salman Abedi, 22, carried out a suicide attack during an Ariana Grande concert (pictured 2021) at Manchester Arena, killing 22 people and injuring 139.
After the concert, floral tributes can be seen along the sidewalks of the Manchester Arena
This is an increase from previously Forbes reports, which estimate the amount at between $10 and $13 million.
Abedi is in the photo
Notably, this figure excludes revenue from inflated resale tickets, which often sold for several times their original price. Swift opted not to profit from scalping her own tickets, which averaged around $230 and maxed out at $499, excluding VIP packages that ran as high as $899.
Additionally, the Eras Tour film, which was released last fall before the tour ended, grossed more than $180 million in the U.S. and $261 million worldwide, breaking the records set by Justin Bieber’s concert film in the U.S. and Michael Jackson’s worldwide, according to Variety.
The biggest problem for The Eras Tour came in November 2022, when Ticketmaster’s system crashed due to overwhelming demand, causing delays for thousands of fans.
Despite setting a record with 2 million tickets sold in one day, blame was placed on the ticketing platform rather than Swift itself.
While she has had an incredibly successful year – between her 152-day Eras Tour and the release of The Tortured Poets Department – Taylor is already working on new music, which insiders say could be released as early as next year.
According to sources, the Cruel Summer singer has no plans for an extended hiatus and is already working on new music for a 2025 release. Insiders also say he is in talks to return to tour in 2026.
