Taylor Swift Concerts in Austria Canceled Due to Terror Threat

Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna canceled following the arrest of two suspects planning a terror attack, leaving fans disappointed and raising concerns about concert security.

Key Points

• Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled due to a planned terror attack.
• Two suspects, including a 19-year-old ISIS sympathizer, were arrested by Austrian authorities.
• The suspects had undertaken concrete preparatory measures for the attack.
• All tickets for the canceled shows will be refunded automatically.
• The cancelation has left fans disappointed and raised concerns about the safety of large concerts.

Organizers have canceled three Taylor Swift concerts in Austria after authorities arrested two suspects allegedly planning a terror attack during the Vienna leg of her blockbuster Eras Tour. The unexpected decision has devastated fans and renewed concerns about the vulnerability of large concerts as targets for terror networks and spree killers.

Swift was scheduled to perform three shows from Thursday to Saturday in Vienna, but Barracuda Music, the promoter for Swift’s concerts in Austria, announced the cancellations. “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 on Wednesday in an online post.

Swift’s official website also listed the concerts as canceled. At a press conference in Vienna, police disclosed that a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, identified as an ISIS sympathizer, was arrested Wednesday morning in Ternitz, Lower Austria. Another arrest followed in Vienna.

The suspects had reportedly become radicalized online, with the 19-year-old pledging allegiance to the ISIS leader in July, police said. Authorities noted that the two had undertaken “concrete preparatory measures” for a terrorist attack, with suspicions of explosives being stored at the suspect’s home in Ternitz. Police secured chemical substances from the home, which are currently being evaluated.

“From the current standpoint of the investigation, we assume that the target of the attack was events in the Vienna region,” police said. Barracuda Music confirmed that all tickets for the canceled shows would be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days.

Swift’s Eras Tour, which began in Glendale, Arizona on March 18, 2023, has already traveled through the United States, South America, Asia, and Australia. It is currently in its European leg before returning to North America. Vienna was scheduled to be the penultimate venue of the European leg, with Swift set to play five nights at London’s Wembley Stadium next week before moving on to Canada for the tour’s final dates in November and December.

Just a day before the Vienna cancellation announcement, Swift posted on Instagram after performing in Warsaw, Poland: “I can’t believe we have 2 cities left on the European leg of The Eras Tour. It’s truly flown by. See you soon Vienna!”

The cancellation has left fans both shaken and disappointed, including many who had traveled to Vienna specifically for the shows. This incident underscores the ongoing risks associated with large-scale events and highlights the importance of stringent security measures to protect attendees.