Three major concerts of US singer Taylor Swift in Vienna, Austria have been canceled after two individuals suspected of plotting a terrorist attack during the shows were caught, CNN reports.
The unprecedented move, which comes at a significant cost to Vienna’s businesses, has left fans devastated and highlighted the vulnerability of large events to terror threats.
Barracuda Music, the promoter for Swift’s concerts in Austria, announced the cancellations on Wednesday, citing confirmation from government officials of a planned attack at Ernst Happel Stadium.
Police arrested a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, identified as an ISIS sympathizer, in Ternitz, Austria, and a second individual in Vienna. The suspects, who allegedly radicalized online, had taken “concrete preparatory measures” for a terrorist attack, including storing explosives at the home of the 19-year-old.
Authorities are evaluating chemical substances seized from the suspect’s home, and believe the target of the attack was events in the Vienna region.
All tickets for the canceled concerts will be automatically refunded.
Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour, which began in March 2023, has already traversed the United States, South America, Asia, and Australia. The tour was currently on its European leg before the cancellations in Vienna.
