Taylor Swift fans devastated after Austria Eras Tour shows canceled over alleged ISIS terror plot
Fans of Taylor Swift expressed their devastation at the cancellations of three sold-out Eras Tour shows in Austria after authorities foiled an alleged ISIS-linked terror plot.
The superstar's fans, known as Swifties, took to social media to express their sadness at missing out on the shows. Many spent thousands of dollars on travel, hotels and food in one of the most expensive European capitals.
Annmarie Timmins, a journalist who traveled from the United States to Vienna for Thursday's performance, said she and her husband were waiting for the subway after dinner when they heard the news.
"I can't even believe it," she said. "There was a girl with her mom who looked so sad — even more than me. I gave her one of my bracelets. I wanted to hug her."
One social media user named Sarah wrote she had been "waiting to see taylor in my home country since i was 9 years old, i'm now 25... to have all this taken away by some men being so fueled by hatred for no reason at all makes me so beyond angry i can't put it into words."
"I won't be able to see Taylor again with these resale prices so I am pretty devastated," another social media user named Caroline said. "This was supposed to be my 'you beat cancer' trip so losing it hurts."
The 19-year-old main suspect in the alleged plot was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group, according to Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria's Interior Ministry. Chemical substances and technical devices were found at the suspect's house.
A second person was arrested in the Austrian capital. Several Austrian media reported Thursday that additional suspects were being sought - something police did not officially confirm.
Ruf said authorities were aware of "preparatory actions" for a possible attack "and also that there is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna," the Austria Press Agency reported.
The Austrian citizen is believed to have become radicalized on the internet. Ruf said the chemical substances were secured and were being evaluated. He didn't give more details, such as the suspects' names, in line with Austrian privacy law.
For Fredrikke Blekastad, a Swift fan from Norway, it was the second time she tried to attend a concert. The first time, it was canceled because of the pandemic.
"We had planned to get up really early, stand in line and get to the very front and see her," Blekastad told Norwegian broadcaster NRK, but "nothing will come of it either."
Other Norwegian fans, Jenny Moltubakk and Marie Hov Aanæs, told NRK about their disappointment.
"At first we were in shock when we saw the message, I didn't really believe it," Moltubakk told the broadcaster. "It's very strange when something you've been looking forward to for a whole year is suddenly canceled."
"I am very disappointed, to be honest, but I understand that safety is the most important thing," she said.
Aanæs quoted Swift's 2014 hit and said: "We must 'Shake It Off," telling NRK that "we are just very grateful that security was tightened enough for them to unravel this."
About 100 fans of all ages gathered on a Vienna street on Thursday to sing the Taylor Swift song "Long Live," which has the lyric "I'm not afraid." With some fans in tears, they exchanged friendship bracelets, and their singing could be heard from blocks away.
Some fans started looking for tickets to Taylor Swift's upcoming London performances, which are scheduled to take place between August 15th and August 20th.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Thursday that U.K. officials had learned lessons from a 2017 attack during an Ariana Grande concert at northwest England's Manchester Arena in which a suicide bomber killed 22 people.
"I'm sure Vienna has got its own reasons to cancel the Taylor Swift concerts. We're going to carry on, working closely with police (and) ensuring that the Taylor Swift concerts can take place in London safely," Khan told U.K. broadcaster Sky News on Thursday.