Taylor Swift’s Austrian Concerts Canceled Due To Terror Threat — Suspect Allegedly Linked To Islamic State: ‘Tragedy Prevented,’ Says Chancellor

Taylor Swift’s three scheduled concerts in Vienna have been canceled due to a confirmed terror threat at the venue.

What Happened: The Austrian government confirmed a planned attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, leading to the cancellation of the concerts for safety reasons. The organizer, Barracuda.music, made the announcement. Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, praised the Austrian police and the Directorate for Security and Intelligence (DSN) for their collaboration in averting a potential tragedy, reported Reuters on Wednesday.

The Chancellor said that a “tragedy was prevented.” He said, “Thanks to the intensive cooperation of our police and the newly established DSN with foreign services, the threat was identified early on, combated and a tragedy prevented.”

“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,” said Barracuda.music on Instagram.

Two individuals suspected of planning the attacks were apprehended by Austrian police on Wednesday. Franz Ruf, the director general for public security, disclosed that one of the suspects, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, had shown a particular interest in the Swift concerts and had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic state. Another suspect was later arrested in Vienna.

Police also conducted a search at the residence of one of the suspects in Ternitz, Lower Austria, with the analysis of items from the home underway. Local media sources, citing police, reported that three suspects are still at large.

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Why It Matters: This incident comes as a significant blow to Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’, which has been making headlines for its popularity. I

In May 2024, Swift’s concerts in Paris were reported to be drawing more American tourists than the 2024 Summer Olympics, according to data from luxury travel agency Embark Beyond. The four performances at La Défense Arena were attracting five times as many Americans as the global sporting event.

Image via Shutterstock

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal