Taylor Swift Speaks Out on Thwarted Terror Attack That Led to Vienna Show Cancellations
Taylor Swift has finally addressed the thwarted terrorist attack that forced the cancellation of her Eras Tour shows in Vienna. The pop superstar broke her silence on Wednesday, August 21, in her first public comments since the incident earlier this month.
Swift expressed her deep sadness over the situation, saying, “Having our Vienna shows canceled 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 series of Vienna shows were originally scheduled for August 8 to August 10 before being canceled at the last minute due to the threat.
However, she also conveyed her gratitude towards the authorities, stating, “I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”
The singer revealed that three teenage suspects had been arrested for allegedly planning an ISIS-style terror attack at one of her Austrian concerts. The plot reportedly involved driving a bomb-filled car into the crowd to cause mass casualties.
Swift explained her decision to remain silent about the foiled attack until now, saying, “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.”
She further emphasized that in situations like this, “silence” can be an act of restraint, choosing to speak only when it feels right.
Swift also expressed how encouraged she was by her fans’ unity during the ordeal and mentioned that her team collaborated with stadium staff and British authorities to ensure the safety of fans as her tour continued.
Her last concert of the European tour took place on Monday, August 19, at Wembley Stadium in England. “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,” she added in her statement.