Taylor Swift cancels three concerts after terrorist threats

Taylor Swift will not perform in Austria

Credit: Screenshot | Youtube | Taylor Swift

Shock for the tens of thousands of fans expected in force in Vienna: the American star Taylor Swift cancelled her concerts planned for this week in the Austrian capital on Wednesday after the police revealed an Islamist attack plan.

“With the confirmation by the authorities of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three concerts for the safety of all.“, the organizers announced on Instagram in the evening, specifying that the tickets would be automatically refunded”within 10 days“.

Police had earlier reported that the arrest of two peopleincluding a 19-year-old man accused of target the artist’s concerts.

This Austrian citizen, who had “pledged allegiance“to the jihadist group Islamic State (EI), was arrested following a special operation in Lower Austriaone hour from Viennaaccording to the Director General of Public Security, Franz Ruf.

“We discovered preparatory acts with a Focus on Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna“, he told the press, specifying that “chemical substances“had been”seizures” at the suspect’s home.

He was in collusion with another person, too.”radicalized on the internet“, who was arrested at ViennaMr. Ruf stressed, without giving further details.

The authorities had promised a strengthening of security measures and checks at the entrance to the stadium, but this was clearly not enough to reassure the organisers.

A clear stop in his European tour

The singer of 34 ans was due to perform in Vienna from Thursday as part of his tour “Eras“, whose European part has started in May in Paris.

After France, she went to Suedeau Portugalin Spainau United Kingdomin Irelandto The Netherlandsin Suissein Italyin Germany and in Polandeach time with a significant impact on the local economy.

This sixth Taylor Swift tour began in March 2023 in the United States, becoming at the end of last year the first in history to sell more than one billion dollars of notes. This figure should more than doubler by its end in Canada in December.

In Austria, more than 170,000 spectators were expected for spin-offs estimated at around 100 million eurosaccording to figures given by the press agency WHAT.

Austria has stepped up preventive measures since an attack jihadist occurred on November 2, 2020 and having caused four deaths, the first to have struck this country 9.1 million inhabitants usually very safe.