Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist attack at Taylor Swift’s upcoming shows in Vienna, Austria.
The main suspect, aged 19, was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and the second person in the Austrian capital, according to Franz Ruf, director general of public security at the Interior Ministry.
The 34-year-old pop star will perform at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion on August 8, 9 and 10, with heightened security measures for the shows.
The suspects, who were allegedly radicalised online, were planning to attack Vienna; the 19-year-old had a particular interest in Swift’s concert in Vienna, Ruf confirmed.
He added that authorities were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack.
The 19-year-old had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group in early July, police said.
Two suspects have been arrested for allegedly planning a terror attack at Taylor Swift’s upcoming shows in Vienna, Austria. Swift is pictured performing in London in June.
The 34-year-old pop star will perform at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel Stadium (pictured) on August 8, 9 and 10, with heightened security measures for the shows.
A bomb squad reportedly found chemicals after raiding the home of the 19-year-old, who was suspected of possessing an explosive device, and the substances are now being tested to see if they could be used to make a bomb.
The names of the suspects have not yet been released.
Ruf said special attention will be paid to entry controls and concert-goers should plan their arrival well in advance.
The shows are expected to draw 65,000 attendees per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans from outside the area, police said.
Vienna police chief Gerhard Purst said that while any concrete danger had been downplayed, an abstract risk justified increased security.
The record-breaking Eras Tour will conclude in Vancouver, Canada on December 8.
The 152-date concert series, which sees Swift revisit hits from her 17-year career, is expected to top $2 billion by the end of its run in December, with the staggering per-night earnings revealed by Variety last month.
“A source close to production said early in the Eras Tour era that its average nightly gross was $14 million,” the outlet reported. “Others believe that’s a very conservative estimate, with the total likely to be closer to $17 million on at least some nights.”
This marks an increase from previous data. Forbes reports estimated the figure at between $10 and $13 million.
It’s worth noting that this figure excludes revenue from the resale of inflated tickets, which often sold for several times their original price. Swift opted not to profit from the resale of her own tickets, which averaged around $230 and peaked at $499, not including VIP packages that topped out at $899.
Additionally, the Eras Tour film, released last fall before the tour ended, grossed more than $180 million domestically and $261 million worldwide, surpassing records set by Justin Bieber’s concert film in the U.S. and Michael Jackson’s worldwide, according to Variety.
The biggest setback for The Eras Tour occurred in November 2022 when Ticketmaster’s system crashed due to overwhelming demand, resulting in delays for thousands of fans.
Despite setting a record with 2 million tickets sold in a single day, the blame fell on the ticketing platform, not Swift herself.
While she has He had an incredibly successful year, between His 152-date Eras Tour and the Launch of The Department of Tortured Poets – Taylor is already working on new music, which according to close sources could be released next year.
The Cruel Summer singer has no plans to take an extended break and is already working on new music for release in 2025, sources say. She is also in talks to tour again in 2026.
The shows are expected to be attended by 65,000 people a day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans from outside the area, police said. – Swift photographed performing in Amsterdam in July
The 152-date concert series, which sees Swift revisit hits from her 17-year career, is expected to top $2 billion by the end of its run in December, with the staggering per-night earnings revealed by Variety last month – pictured performing in Munich last month
Even though some of her fans, or “Swifties,” have expressed apparent weariness with her constant chart dominance and seemingly endless release of TTPD variants (of which there are currently more than 30), Taylor is determined to keep her lucrative success going.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, sources close to the singer claimed that she has been writing new material while on tour, which could see her address the controversy surrounding her alleged feud with Charli XCX.
“Taylor is working on a new album due out in 2025, followed by a new tour in 2026,” a source told DailyMail.com. “She’s very inspired by all the new experiences she’s having on the Eras tour and has been quietly writing songs backstage.”
