Taylor Swift publicly addressed the cancellation of her three concerts in Vienna, expressing that the decision was “devastating” after authorities announced they had thwarted a planned terrorist act, CBS News reports.
“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. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” Swift wrote on Instagram following the conclusion of the European leg of her Eras Tour.
Three sold-out shows at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium were abruptly canceled earlier this month following the arrest of two teenagers who were allegedly planning a terrorist attack outside the venue, according to Austrian authorities. A third teenager was arrested a few days later in connection with the alleged plot.
Austrian authorities said a 17-year-old Austrian citizen with Turkish and Croatian roots and a 19-year-old Austrian citizen had planned to kill people outside the venue using knives or self-made explosives. While the alleged plot was foiled a day before the first of the three shows was scheduled, all three were called off.
Authorities said ISIS and Al Qaeda were behind the plot. Investigators said they found bomb-making materials at one of the suspects’ homes. ISIS and Al Qaeda material were also allegedly found at the home of one of the suspects.
Swift resumed her tour last week in London, performing five sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium with added security measures, including a restriction for fans to gather outside the venue prior to the shows, unlike previous stops on the tour.
