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Taylor Swift’s Vienna shows cancelled after terror plot arrest

Three shows in Vienna by American mega-star Taylor Swift have been cancelled after Austria arrested a man in connection with an Islamist attack plot, the organisers said Wednesday.

Published: 7 August 2024 20:00 CEST
Updated: 8 August 2024 06:25 CEST
Taylor Swift performs on stage at the Groupama Stadium as part of The Eras Tour, in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France, on June 2, 2024.
Taylor Swift performs on stage as part of The Eras Tour in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France, on June 2, 2024. Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP.

The Vienna leg of the tour by American mega-star Taylor Swift has been cancelled after Austrian police arrested a man in connection with an Islamist attack plot, the organisers said Wednesday.

“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” Barracuda Music said on Instagram.

Austrian authorities said on Wednesday they have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly planning an Islamist attack in connection with concerts by US star Taylor Swift later this week.

He was detained in Lower Austria, about an hour from the capital earlier on Wednesday.

Chemical substances, allegedly to be used in explosives devices, were seized in his house and were being analysed, the police said.

The man, who had pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group “in recent weeks”, was detained early on Wednesday, Austria’s top security chief Franz Ruf told a press conference.

“We have established corresponding preparatory acts and also that the focus of the 19-year-old perpetrator was on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” Ruf said.

A second person believed to have been in contact with the suspect was arrested in Vienna.

According to initial investigation findings, both suspects radicalised themselves on the internet.

About 65,000 spectators were expected at each show scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Organisers said all would-be concert-goers would have their tickets refunded.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna

In November 2020, a convicted IS sympathiser went on a shooting rampage in downtown Vienna, killing four and wounding 23 others before police shot him dead.

It marked the Alpine nation’s first deadly jihadist attack.

With reporting by AFP

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FLOODS

From transport to bars: When will ‘normal life’ resume in Vienna?

Vienna was still recovering on Tuesday after the weekend's catastrophic floods with public transport looking to resume normal service and businesses along the Danube Canal cleaning up and hoping to reopen.

Published: 17 September 2024 15:08 CEST
From transport to bars: When will 'normal life' resume in Vienna?

Vienna’s flood situation improved overnight as water levels in key areas receded, allowing clean-up efforts to begin after the severe floods and rains that hit part of Austria since late last week, Austrian media has reported. 

The Vienna River, which reached a peak of 3.90 metres at the Kennedybrücke measuring point, dropped to 90 centimetres early on Tuesday. Retention basins in the Auhof area, which were nearly full over the weekend, were almost empty by Tuesday, although the Wienerwaldsee reservoir was still draining. In the meantime, the Danube was still at a stable level of 6.5 metres and did not pose a threat to the city.

READ ALSO: Austria’s floodwaters subside but recovery set to take months

Sunny weather in the early hours of Tuesday brought some relief, but authorities cautioned that the consequences of the floods were still being felt across Vienna. 

Parks throughout the city had been temporarily closed due to the risk of falling trees and other flood-related hazards. Large green areas, including Lainzer Tiergarten and Steinhofgründe, were also off-limits as checks were conducted to assess damage. It remains unclear how long these closures will last.

A video on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the strength of the Vienna River during the floods. The bridge holds part of the U4 metro line.

Metro services resume partial service

Vienna’s public transport services were also still not back to normal service on Tuesday. 

Several underground lines, including the U2, U3, U4, and U6, were partially suspended due to flooding and water damage. 

Wiener Linien, the city’s transport operator, reported that crews began removing temporary flood barriers and sandbags early on Tuesday morning. The U6 overhead line was also undergoing repairs, with full service expected to resume by Wednesday.

While trams on lines 40 and 41 returned to operation, other metro lines were still undergoing safety checks. 

The U4 was running only between Heiligenstadt and Friedensbrücke, while the U3 had resumed partial service between Ottakring and Schlachthausgasse. Service on the U2 line remained limited between Seestadt and Taborstraße. 

Alexandra Reinagl, Managing Director of Wiener Linien, confirmed that the goal was to restore full metro operations by Wednesday.

READ ALSO: COMPARE: How much do Austria’s political parties care about the climate crisis?

Businesses and social life hit

Along the Danube Canal, several businesses and bars experienced significant flooding. 

Strandbar Herrmann, a popular riverside venue, was hit hard by the floodwaters, leaving behind mud and debris. Owner Rudolf Konar told Der Standard that his bar was flooded by nearly a metre of water, with employees later working to clear the site and salvage equipment. 

Many of his staff come from the flood-affected regions of Lower Austria, making the clean-up process more difficult, he said

Despite the challenges, the Strandbar hoped to reopen by Wednesday. Other businesses along the Danube Canal and New Danube also started recovery efforts, though many remained closed as they assessed the damage. 

The Vienna Chamber of Commerce confirmed that “practically all” businesses in the area were flooded.

Emergency services on high alert

The city’s fire brigade reported a reduction in flood-related incidents, with the number of emergency calls dropping by a third since Monday morning. 

Despite this, there were still around 400 incidents of water entering basements, garages, and flooding roads. Fallen trees, many of which were discovered after the rain stopped, remained a significant concern.

Vienna’s fire brigade, which had been assisting in nearby Lower Austria, also noted that while the worst of the storm is over, the recovery process would take time. Emergency services continued to work at full capacity, clearing debris and pumping water from affected areas across the city.

READ ALSO: Will my Austrian home insurance cover storm damage?

Road closures and recovery in Lower Austria

Meanwhile, in Lower Austria, where the situation was still critical, disaster alerts continued to be in place. 

On Tuesday, more than 250 roads were still closed due to flooding and landslides, affecting key routes such as the Vienna outer ring motorway and the Westautobahn. Several districts, including St. Pölten, Bruck an der Leitha, and Tulln, have been particularly hard-hit. 

Evacuations were ongoing in several areas.

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