Three Taylor Swift concerts in Austria were canceled Wednesday after a teen was arrested for allegedly plotting an extremist attack at the events.
Swift was scheduled to play Eras Tour concerts at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Earlier Wednesday, authorities announced the arrest of a 19-year-old from Vienna who had been taking “preparatory actions” for an attack with a specific focus on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, according to The Associated Press.
Initially, the shows were supposed to proceed with enhanced security measures, but Vienna police indicated that there was still an “abstract danger” present even though the concrete danger had been mitigated. Ultimately, the event organizer, Barracuda Music, made the decision to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.
Swift’s website has updated to inform ticket holders that all Vienna tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days. Franz Ruf, the public security director of Austria’s interior ministry, revealed that the 19-year-old suspect had declared allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Both the main suspect and another individual in custody, who also had plans for attacks in the area, are thought to have been radicalized online, as reported by AP. Austrian authorities are currently analyzing chemical substances found in the possession of the 19-year-old following his arrest in Ternitz, a town south of Vienna where the other suspect was apprehended.
