On Wednesday, a terrifying terrorist plot was unearthed when police arrested two “alleged extremists,” one of which appeared to be planning an attack at an upcoming Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria. As a result, all three of Swift’s sold-out concerts in the city have now been canceled.
The pop sensation, who has soared even further into popularity after she began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was set to perform three concerts in Vienna this weekend on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as part of the international leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour. But as a result of the unearthed terrorist plot, those concerts have been canceled.
“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 said Wednesday in a post online, according to CNN.
In a statement, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer called the canceled concerts “a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria.”
“We live in a time in which violent means are being used to attack our Western way of life,” he said. “Islamist terrorism threatens security and freedom in many Western countries. This is precisely why we will not give up our values such as freedom and democracy, but will defend them even more vehemently.”
Needless to say, this was an absolutely terrible situation for Taylor Swift and her fans, and it led to a lot of reactions on social media.
NEW: Taylor Swift's concert in Vienna got canceled because of a terrorist threat from a 19-year-old Albanian.
Why do they always have to act like that? pic.twitter.com/3cVQszlGa9
— Global Dissident (@GlobalDiss) August 8, 2024
| Swifties today in Vienna,
Austria singing along "Long Live" after the shows were canceled".pic.twitter.com/00IwF4cYoL
— Taylor Swift Charts (@TaylorSwiftChar) August 8, 2024
The only previous show Taylor Swift has ever canceled was in Bangkok, Thailand because there was a military coup. Canceling the Vienna shows really demonstrates how serious of a threat it was.
— Mr. Bear (They/Them) (@HawliBear) August 7, 2024
Turns out Taylor Swift has better security than a former president. Her show in Austria was canceled due to a terrorist threat. Her security team didn’t let her take the stage.
— bjohn14 (@bartjohn1014) August 8, 2024
Well, watching my 9-year-old’s heart break in realtime as my wife told him that Taylor Swift’s Vienna shows—which they were supposed to be leaving for tomorrow—were cancelled is not something that will ever leave my memory. People are awful.
— Graig Kreindler (@GraigKreindler) August 7, 2024
Taylor Swift's Vienna concerts have been *CANCELED* after Austrian police foiled a terror plot.
This could have been a mass casualty event. She draws a huge crowd.
Who draws a bigger crowd than her right now?
— Mayor (@Mayoralpodcast) August 7, 2024
This marks just the second time ever that Swift has been forced to cancel a concert.
[CNN]
