Taylor Swift has canceled her three Eras Tour shows in Vienna following the arrest of two people who allegedly plotted a terrorist attack in the area where Swift’s concert was set to take place. Swift was scheduled to perform on August 8, 9, and 10 at the city’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
“Due to confirmation by government officials of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three planned shows for everyone’s safety,” reads a statement from the show’s promoter, Barracuda Music. “All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 working days.”
According to a German-language press release from the Austrian interior department, both suspects – one being a 19-year-old who had allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS in July – had been radicalized online and had detailed plans for their attacks. “Based on current assessments by the State Security and Intelligence Directorate regarding terrorist and extremist acts, the Vienna State Police Directorate has increased security precautions, particularly at major events. The terror alert level in Austria remains high and is continuously evaluated.”
“The suspects were focused on the Taylor Swift concerts,” Austrian Director General for Public Safety Franz Ruf said (via NY Post). “We discovered that he was taking action to prepare for the attack. A clear threat has been averted.”
Nearly 200,000 people had been expected to attend Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts. They were to be second-to-last stop on her European tour, before a five-night stint at London’s Wembley Stadium from August 14-18.
Taylor Swift’s upcoming shows in Vienna have been cancelled due to threat posed by suspected ISIS-connected plot to attack the stadium. pic.twitter.com/K8PVdGIiST
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 7, 2024
