Taylor Swift breaks silence over Vienna terror threat

Taylor Swift has spoken for the first time about the three Austria shows on her Eras tour that were cancelled earlier this month after a foiled terror attack.

Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium was due to host three 65,000-cap shows by the singer from 8-10 August, but co-promoter Barracuda Music pulled the concerts the night before.

The planned terror attack was uncovered by Austrian authorities who eventually arrested three teenage suspects – aged 17, 18 and 19 – for allegedly planning an Islamist attack in the Vienna region, with Swift’s shows being the “focus” of the plot.

The 19-year-old main suspect intended “either today or tomorrow to kill himself and a large crowd of people,” according to the head of state protection and intelligence at the Austrian interior ministry.

Chemicals, machetes and technical devices had been found at the home of the suspect, who made “an oath of allegiance” to Islamic State at the start of July.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday night celebrating the end of the Eras tour’s European leg, Swift said she is grateful “we were grieving concerts and not lives”.

“Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows,” the 34-year-old singer wrote.

“I was so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives”

“But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives. I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together. I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London.

“My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us.”

Explaining why she stayed silent on the terror threats, Swift said: “Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows.”

“In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”

Following the foiled terror plot, security measures were enhanced for Coldplay’s residency at Ernst Happel Stadium – the first concerts to take place at the venue since the cancellations. Last night, Coldplay and show opener Maggie Rogers performed Swift’s smash-hit ‘Love Story’ as an ode to her Austrian fans.

The European leg of the Eras tour concluded on Tuesday (20 August) night at Wembley Stadium – the last of eight concerts at the London venue.

The tour will now take a two-month break before restarting in the US at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on 18 October. As things stand, it is set to wrap up in Vancouver, Canada on 8 December.

IQ yesterday asked a raft of live music executives how Taylor Swift’s Eras tour became a cultural phenomenon.

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