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. However, earlier on Wednesday, authorities reported the arrest of a 19-year-old from Vienna who had made “preparatory actions” for an attack with a “focus” on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, according to The Associated Press.
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Originally, the shows were set to proceed with increased security measures, but Vienna police stated that while the concrete danger had been minimized, an “abstract danger” still existed. Consequently, event organizer Barracuda Music announced later on Wednesday that “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.”
Swift’s website now indicates 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, disclosed that the 19-year-old suspect had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Both he and another suspect in custody, who had also planned attacks on events in the area, are believed to have been radicalized through the internet, as reported by AP.
Austrian officials are presently examining 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.
