Three Taylor Swift performances in Austria have been canceled by the organizers in the wake of the arrest of two individuals who were reportedly plotting a terror act during the Vienna leg of her much-anticipated Eras Tour.
Fans are devastated by the abrupt cancellation, which has also brought attention once again to the dangers that big-name performances pose as possible targets for lone attackers and terror networks.
Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna was scheduled to host three performances by Swift from Thursday through Saturday. But Swift’s Austrian concert producer, Barracuda Music, declared on Wednesday that all of the shows had been canceled for everyone’s safety.
“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” Barracuda Music stated in an online post. Swift’s official website has also marked the concerts as cancelled.
In a press conference, Austrian police revealed that a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, identified as an Islamic State sympathizer, was arrested on Wednesday morning in Ternitz, Lower Austria. Another suspect was apprehended later the same morning in Vienna.
Authorities reported that the suspects had been radicalized online, with the 19-year-old having pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State group in July.
Police also said that the suspects had taken concrete steps towards carrying out a terrorist attack, suspecting that explosives were stored at the Ternitz home of one of the suspects. Chemical substances found at the residence are currently being evaluated, the Associated Press reported.
Concerts Cancelled Amid Threat
According to officials, the intended assault was thought to be directed against activities taking place in the Vienna region, based on the arrests. Barracuda Music has responded by declaring that within the next ten business days, all tickets for the postponed events would be automatically returned.
Since it was first announced, Swift’s Eras Tour—which got underway in Glendale, Arizona, on March 18, 2023—has been postponed several times. Swift is presently on the European leg of her tour, which has already brought her across the United States, South America, Asia, and Australia. The tour was scheduled to make its last few dates in Vienna before moving on to Wembley Stadium in London the following week and wrapping up in North America later in the year.
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Source: Business Standard
