Cancellation of concerts in Vienna - Terror at Taylor on the Thames?
The peak of a tour of superlatives is to be the joyful conclusion of a mega spectacle. With five concerts at London's Wembley Stadium, Taylor Swift (34) will conclude the European leg of her Eras Tour. However, following the cancellation of her shows in Vienna due to terror threats, there is also often a worried question mixed into the anticipation: Will everything go smoothly in the British capital? Almost a half a million "Swifties," as the fans of the US singer are called, want to attend the five performances.
The Austrian police discovered a plot for a suspected Islamist attack on the event just before the first live concert in Vienna. Three suspects were arrested. A 19-year-old confessed - he allegedly wanted to cause a bloodbath among the "Swifties" outside the stadium in Vienna - but on Sunday, there was a turnaround: The young man now denies all allegations.
Scotland Yard sees no terror threat
Is the fear of terrorism also spreading to Taylor on the Thames? Not in London. "There are no indications that the matters investigated by the Austrian authorities will have any impact on upcoming events here in London," the Metropolitan Police told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
Scotland Yard is working closely with the security teams of the organizers and other partners to ensure there are appropriate security and surveillance plans in place. They will also carefully review all new information.
Beforehand, the British police minister Diana Johnson had announced that the London police would evaluate all findings and conduct a risk assessment for every event in the country.
Lessons learned from the Manchester attack
London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, is trying to reassure concerns. He told Sky News that London is looking forward to welcoming Taylor Swift back.
The superstar had already performed three times at Wembley at the start of the Eras Tour. The city was in absolute Swift fever. A Taylor Swift map of the "Tube," London's underground, was published: Each line was named after a different album and drawn in the corresponding colors.
Stations were named after songs like "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "All Too Well." The royal band played a version of Swift's hit "Shake It Off" during the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace - the official X-account of the Royal Family posted a video.
Khan emphasized that London is an international city that regularly hosts large events. "We have extensive experience in monitoring these events, we are never complacent."
London has also learned many lessons from the bombing attack on a concert at the Manchester Arena in 2017. An Islamist attacker had detonated a bomb at a concert by US singer Ariana Grande, killing 22 people.
Recently, the British police have been in action not only in London but also in numerous other cities due to right-wing riots. There were severe riots, with hundreds arrested. This followed a stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift dance class for elementary school students in the northwest English town of Southport. Three girls were killed. Unlike the claims of the right-wing rioters, the suspect is not a Muslim migrant but was born in Britain as the son of Rwandans.
No concrete measures to enhance security around the concerts in London were initially known. The website of the Wembley Stadium stated that those without tickets should not travel. "No one may stand in front of an entrance or on the Olympic steps in front of the stadium." However, this notice was already given in June before Swift's first performances in London, according to a report by Time magazine.
Rumored increase in ticket resales
It remains uncertain whether a significant number of "Swifties" will refrain from an unforgettable night with their idol due to concerns about an attack. The British newspaper "Independent" reported that there was an increase in available Swift concert tickets on a ticket resale website following cancellations in Vienna. However, it was not possible to confirm whether this was indeed the case or if it was due to anxious fans who preferred to abstain out of fear of an attack.
The superstar is taking a break in London for now. The Eras Tour will resume in November with six concerts in the Canadian city of Toronto. In December, there are still three shows planned in Vancouver on Canada's west coast.
Despite the terror threats in Vienna and recent incidents in other cities, Scotland Yard assures no terror threat exists for Taylor Swift's concerts at London's Wembley Stadium. The Manchester attack in 2017 has taught London valuable lessons in enhancing event security, ensuring a safe environment for 'Swifties' at The Manchester's upcoming shows.
