Taylor Swift’s forthcoming Eras Tour shows in London will have new security measures following an alleged terror attack plot in Vienna.
The 34-year-old Grammy winner will return to the UK for five shows starting on August 15, however, many have expressed concerns after Swift’s concerts in Austria were canceled due to suspected planned terror attacks.
Last week, many concertgoers were left devastated after police were alerted to terror threats at the singer’s scheduled shows at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion on August 8, 9, and 10.
Barracuda Music – the promoter for the artist’s venue – shared the shocking news on Instagram, writing: “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour Vienna Shows Cancelled Due to Government Officials Confirmation of Planned Terrorist Attack.”
The promoter said that with “confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium” they were left with “no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety”.
“All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days,” they confirmed.
As of the time of writing, three suspects have been arrested in connection with a foiled terror attack.
According to the New York Times, Franz Ruf, the head of public safety in Austria, disclosed that the main suspect, a 19-year-old man, was radicalized online and swore an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State.
Authorities say they found bomb-making materials including chemical substances and technical devices that indicated “concrete preparatory acts” in the “advanced stages” during a raid of his home in Ternitz, south of Vienna, per AP.
Ruf also revealed at a press conference that one of the suspects admitted that they intended to drive a car into a group of revelers outside the venue before attacking people with machetes and knives, per the Daily Mail. They also confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue,” as reported by The Guardian.
Furthermore, a 17-year-old who was employed by a company providing services at the Ernst Happel Stadium, where the ‘Love Story’ singer was scheduled to play, was also apprehended.
Another teen, who cops say was not an active participant in the plot, was also brought in for questioning and confirmed many points of the main suspect’s confession.
While the ‘Cruel Summer’ songstress has yet to speak out on the Vienna cancellations, it’s believed that her concerts in Wembley Stadium will still be going ahead.
The Metropolitan Police – the police force for Greater London – issued a statement to Time, which read: “There is nothing to indicate that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have an impact on upcoming events here in London.
“The Met works closely with venue security teams and other partners to ensure there are appropriate security and policing plans in place,” they added.
The U.K.’s Minister for Policing, Diana Johnson, revealed on British radio station LBC that the police will be on high alert for the Wembley shows, which will hold 90,000 fans.
Ben Knott, operations director at FGH Security in England, told TMZ that the venue will have heightened private security specializing in counterterrorism. He said security forces tend to deploy plainclothes and uniformed personnel to look for people sticking out.
For instance, “if someone’s scanning the area for cameras and police, that would be a sign something’s not right, and security would approach”.
“The tactic is to be friendly with the suspicious individual, and ask if they need help with anything – but if security gets the slightest whiff of anything nefarious, police will be called in immediately,” the outlet added.
It’s believed that there will be added safeguarding measures at the stadium, such as walk-through metal detectors, per Daily Mail.
Following the canceled Austrian leg, fans took to the streets of Vienna to sing and dance to the hitmaker’s tunes.
They piped the lyrics to Swift’s ‘Karma’, as well as ‘Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince’ and ‘You Need to Calm Down’.
Barracuda noted that all tickets for the canceled concerts would be refunded. The same message was posted under the Vienna dates on Swift’s official website.
