On August 7th, 2024, three shows of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Vienna, Austria were canceled due to a serious security threat. Both Austrian authorities and the American C.I.A discovered a planned terrorist attack for the first night at Vienna’s Ernst Happel stadium.
The Eras Tour is a 3-and-a-half hour record-breaking tour spanning close to 21 months, and it became the highest-grossing tour of all time within the first 9 months – before the Asian and European legs had even begun. Demand for these concerts was unprecedented, notably selling out within minutes, and causing the Ticketmaster website to break down.
Three arrests were made over this planned attack. The suspects, aged 15-19 years old, had been radicalized online and pledged allegiance to ISIS prior to the concert dates. Over 170,000 people were expected to attend the three shows and were disappointed after learning that there would be no rescheduled performances. This is strikingly the first time in Swift’s 17-year career that she has had to cancel any of her concert dates.
Olivia Kawula, who had a ticket for the first night in Vienna said, “Although I was extremely disappointed, I’m glad that everybody is now able to be safe”.
Swift made headlines after visiting the first few cities since the tour was boosting the economy in each city she performed in, often resulting in an upswing of hotel, public transportation, and merchandise costs. The global phenomenon caused many fans to travel abroad to attend the shows since they were not able to attend the initial US leg.
Just two weeks prior to the cancellation, a Taylor Swift-themed dance class was attacked in Liverpool. A 17-year-old carried out the stabbing attack, tragically killing three young girls and injuring several others. Although local police had arrested the suspect on the scene, many were tremendously alarmed and safety measures had already heightened regarding Swift’s ongoing tour.
In the midst of the canceled shows, local small businesses and establishments offered their support for Swifties who had traveled to Vienna for their shows. Many cafes, restaurants, pubs, museums, and shops offered free things as long as they showed their original ticket for the concert – offering some silver lining for people who were affected by the planned attack.
Swift made a statement on Instagram after concluding the European leg, stating that she was grateful to be “grieving concerts and not lives”. Many criticized Swift for waiting so long to speak up, however, she claimed that the safety of everyone attending future concerts was her main priority. Regardless, this news helped everyone involved become more cautious with shows moving forward. This tragedy shined light on the importance of supporting each other and uplifting the community in times of fear.
