A rundown of all we know about the planned Taylor Swift Eras Tour terror attack in Austria
The attackers planned to drive a car into 20,000 fans and had built a chemical bomb
Yesterday, Austrian police in Vienna confirmed they had arrested two men on suspicion of a planned terror attack on Taylor Swift and her Eras Tour. Swift has now cancelled all three nights she had planned at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, set to start tonight and then run to Saturday.
Barracuda Music who are organising the Eras Tour in Vienna posted on Instagram last night “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety” after “confirmation of [the] planned terrorist attack”.
On Taylor Swift’s website, the tour section confirms that anyone with tickets for the three planned nights in Austria will get a full refund within 10 days. US officials have said that police are looking for a third individual or individuals involved in the planned terror attack on the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, but these reports have not been verified by Austrian police.
The suspects had been under surveillance for some time. Vienna police director Franz Ruf confirmed the arrests and said that the 19 year old suspect pledged allegiance to ISIS two weeks ago on social media. “During our investigations, we identified preparatory actions and noted that the 19-year-old suspect had a particular focus on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” Mr Ruf said. Police also confirmed both men had become radicalised online.
The 19 year old suspect arrested in the early hours of yesterday is said to have North Macedonian roots, and was working with a 17 year old Austrian. A 15 year old Austrian has also been detained – according to Reuters. The Kurier newspaper claims the 19 year old suspect had stolen materials from his workplace that he’d used to build a chemical bomb.
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The publication also reported that the suspect planned to drive a car into the crowds outside the stadium as the legions of Swifties went into the stadium. Machete and knife attack plans were also found.
Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer said on X “the cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts by the organisers is a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria. The situation surrounding the apparently planned terror attack in Vienna was very serious.”
He added that, thanks to co-operation between police and Austrian and foreign intelligence, “the threat could be recognised early on, tackled and a tragedy prevented”.
As of publication, Taylor Swift is yet to comment on the arrests.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published when we know them.
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