The three-day run of Era's Tour concerts that were set to kick off on Thursday suffered an emergency cancellation due to a foiled terrorist attack plot.
Taylor Swift fans came together in the capital yesterday to celebrate their favourite artists' music. They hugged each other, traded beaded friendship bracelets, hung them on nearby trees and sang her songs together.
The completely sold-out shows in Ernst Happel Stadium was set to see around 195,000 fans over the three nights and a possible extra 60,000 non-ticket holders outside the venue.
The cancellation came after two young men were arrested for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack in the region, focusing on Swift's upcoming shows.
The main suspect, a 19-year-old Islamic state (IS) sympathiser, had uploaded a video online swearing an oath of allegiance to the current Islamic State group leader and was allegedly plotting the attack with another teenager who was working at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
In a statement made to Instagram yesterday, Barracuda Music said: “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.”
The organisers added that all tickets would receive an automatic refund in the next 10 days.
Many fans gathered around Cornelius Gasse in Vienna’s 6th district for solace. The road was named after a 19th-century Viennese painter but shares a similar name to Cornelia Street in New York, a place mentioned in a 2019 Taylor Swift song. Swifties joined each other on the small road to belt out the iconic lyrics together.
Austria’s Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler wrote a hear-felt message to Swifties on X saying: “For many, a dream has been shattered today. On three evenings in Vienna, tens of thousands of Swifties should have celebrated life together.”
“I am very sorry that you were denied this. Swifties stick together, hate and terror can’t destroy that.” he added.
Swifties expressed their devastation online with one Instagram commenter saying “I can’t believe the concert I've been waiting for over 10 years is now gone. I don’t think I’ll ever get over this”
However others were quick to point out the very real safety concerns. A commenter who says she had been at the Ariana Grande Manchester bombing in 2017 said: “From someone who has been at a concert attacked by terrorists, as disappointing as not being able to go to this concert is TRUST ME u do not want to experience that, it’s something that changes u forever. safety must always come first <3”
The 19-year-old suspect was detained in Lower Austria on Wednesday, just an hour away from Vienna. His accomplice was arrested just a few hours after.
The news comes soon after three young children died after a knife attack in Southport, England that targeted a childrens Taylor Swift dance class on July 29th.
Taylor Swift has yet to comment on the foiled terrorist attack in Vienna.
