Gelsenkirchen - Police arrest alleged Taylor-Swift stalker
Before Taylor Swift's concert in Gelsenkirchen, the Police reportedly took a stalker into custody. The man had previously made threats against the singer, according to a police spokeswoman. She initially declined to provide any further details about the person or the background. In total, the concert was a peaceful event with around 60,000 female and male attendees.
During the fans' departure, there were delays due to a police operation in nearby Erle. A 70-year-old man had called the police for help, the spokeswoman said. Upon arrival, the officers heard explosive sounds, causing them to block off the area near the adjacent arena. The man was reportedly in a psychological crisis, was overpowered, and taken to a hospital. The cause of the explosive sounds was initially unclear.
Taylor Swift fears for her safety
Someone as famous as Swift also has to deal with the downside and lack of privacy. The currently largest pop superstar on the planet has been digitally followed by US student Jack Sweeney for months. The young man regularly publishes the movements of a series of prominent people. He publicly uses publicly available data and distributes it on various social media channels. For Swift and her management, this is a problem: Several US media reported at the beginning of the year that her lawyers had already sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sweeney in December.
Sweeney's publications have caused "direct and irreparable harm, as well as emotional and physical stress" to Swift and her family, according to the "Washington Post." This has exacerbated Swift's "constant state of anxiety about her personal security." For Swift, it's not just a game for Sweeney. A Swift spokeswoman was also quoted as saying that stalkers are a big problem for Swift and that there are indications that the flight data is related to the artist's harassment. In the letter, Swift's lawyers threaten to use "all available legal remedies."
After the incident with the stalker at her concert in Gelsenkirchen, Taylor Swift expressed increased concerns about her safety. The continuous digital stalking by US student Jack Sweeney, who publishes her movements using publicly available data, has added to her anxiety and stress, potentially linked to her harassment.
