Organizers cancel Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna over fears of an attack

Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — Organizers of 3 Taylor Swift concerts successful Vienna this week called them disconnected connected Wednesday aft officials announced arrests complete an evident crippled to motorboat an onslaught connected an arena successful nan Vienna area specified arsenic nan concerts.

Swift was scheduled to play astatine nan Austrian capital’s Ernst Happel Stadium connected Thursday, Friday and Saturday arsenic portion of her Eras Tour.

Event organizer Barracuda Music said successful a station connected its Instagram transmission precocious Wednesday that “we person nary prime but to cancel nan 3 scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.” It cited authorities officials’ “confirmation” of a planned onslaught astatine nan stadium.

Earlier Wednesday, authorities said they had arrested 2 suspected extremists, 1 of whom appeared to beryllium readying an onslaught connected an arena successful nan Vienna area specified arsenic nan upcoming concerts.

The 19-year-old main fishy was arrested successful Ternitz, southbound of Vienna, and nan 2nd personification successful nan Austrian capital.

Franz Ruf, nan nationalist information head astatine Austria’s interior ministry, said that authorities were alert of “preparatory actions” for a imaginable onslaught “and besides that location is simply a attraction by nan 19-year-old perpetrator connected nan Taylor Swift concerts successful Vienna,” nan Austria Press Agency reported.

Ruf said nan 19-year-old had pledged an oath of allegiance to nan Islamic State group.

The Austrian national is believed to person go radicalized connected nan internet. Ruf said that chemic substances were secured and were being evaluated. He didn’t springiness much details.

The cancelation came hours aft authorities said information measures for nan Swift concerts would beryllium stepped up. Ruf said that location would beryllium a typical attraction among different things connected introduction checks and concertgoers should scheme a spot much time.

Vienna constabulary main Gerhard Pürstl said astatine nan aforesaid clip that, while immoderate actual threat had been minimized, an absurd consequence justified raising security.

Barracuda Music said that “all tickets will beryllium automatically refunded wrong nan adjacent 10 business days.” The aforesaid wording was posted nether nan Vienna dates connected Swift’s charismatic website.

The Vienna stadium had been sold retired for nan planned concerts, APA reported, pinch an estimated 170,000 fans expected for nan concerts successful Austria.

In 2017, an onslaught astatine an Ariana Grande performance successful Manchester, England killed 22 people. Suicide bomber Salman Abedi group up a knapsack explosive successful Manchester Arena astatine nan extremity of Grande’s performance arsenic thousands of young fans were leaving. More than 100 group were injured. Abedi died successful nan explosion.

An charismatic enquiry reported past twelvemonth that Britain’s home intelligence agency, MI5, didn’t enactment swiftly capable connected cardinal accusation and missed a important opportunity to forestall nan bombing, nan deadliest extremist onslaught successful nan U.K. successful caller years.