Taylor Swift’s Vienna Concerts Canceled After Thwarted ISIS Attack
Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna this week were the target of a planned terrorist attack by ISIS. As NBC News, two men were arrested in Austria today in connection with planned attacks at major events in the country, including one of Swift’s shows in Vienna, where she’s scheduled to perform Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
Authorities said both men had been radicalized online and had detailed plans for their attacks. One of them is a 19-year-old who explicitly pledged allegiance to ISIS. Upon arresting him, a bomb squad reportedly found chemical substances, but it was as yet unclear whether the could have been used to build a bomb. There are no plans to cancel the shows because “the concrete danger has been minimized,” a police spokesman said, but there will be increased security measures at the stadium.
UPDATE: All three shows in Vienna have been canceled. A statement from the promoter reads, “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.”
Last month in England, three children were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Misinformation about the killing spread through social media, sparking violent far-right protests at a vigil for the victims.