Taylor Swift breaks silence two weeks after Vienna Eras Tour was canceled due to terror threat

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Taylor Swift has addressed the public for the first time since a terror plot led to the cancellation of Vienna Eras Tour dates, shedding light on her decision to initially stay silent. 

The 'Bad Blood' singer was scheduled to perform on August 8, 9, and 10, but the shows were abruptly canceled after authorities uncovered a planned terror attack targeting large events. 

On August 7, Austrian officials arrested two men, aged 19 and 17, in connection with the threat against Swift's concerts. Two days later, they announced a third arrest—a suspected 18-year-old with alleged links to ISIS—further highlighting the seriousness of the thwarted plot.

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Taylor Swift breaks silence on cancellation of Vienna Eras Tour

In a detailed Instagram post shared after the conclusion of her European tour, Taylor Swift described the final leg of her tour in London as a “rollercoaster of emotions” following the cancellation of three shows in Vienna due to the foiled plot. 

Swift wrote on Wednesday, August 21st post, “Having our Vienna shows cancelled 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.”

She added, “But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”

The 34-year-old singer expressed her appreciation for the support and unity among her fans, noting how many gathered in Vienna to sing her songs and exchange friendship bracelets, a cherished tradition at her concerts.

“I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together,” she penned. 

Swift revealed that after the Vienna shows were canceled, she and her team worked closely with British authorities, “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. My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us.”

Swift’s post came two weeks after the cancellations, during which she faced criticism for not addressing the issue sooner. She explained her decision to remain silent, stating, 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 added, “In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”

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Taylor Swift dubs London Eras Tour ‘beautiful dream sequence’

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Taylor Swift described her London performances as a “beautiful dream sequence” and noted that they brought her a renewed sense of “carefree calm” while on stage.

She narrated, “And then London felt like a beautiful dream sequence. All five crowds at Wembley Stadium were bursting with passion, joy, and exuberance. The energy in that stadium was like the most giant bear hug from 92,000 people each night, and it brought me back to a place of carefree calm up there.”

In a comment on her post, she expressed gratitude to the numerous guests who joined her during the London shows, including Ed Sheeran, Florence Welch, and Jack Antonoff. 

She remarked, “We had some EPIC surprise performances from my long time friends @teddysphotos, @florenceandthemachine, and @jackantonoff. Performing ‘Florida!!!’ with Flo for the first time was unforgettable and Ed took me right back to our old Red Tour memories. It was the most dizzying honor to become the first solo artist to play Wembley 8 times in one tour.”

She concluded, “To the fans who have seen us this summer, you’ll always have the most sparkling place in my memories. You were a dream to perform for, dance with, and share those magical moments with. We’ll see you all again when we resume The Eras Tour in October, but for now we get to take a much needed rest. Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime. May it continue…💚💛💜❤️🩵🖤🩷🩶🤎💙🤍”

Swifties hail Taylor Swift for prioritizing fans' safety

Within 9 hours of posting on Instagram, Taylor Swift’s post received over 4,117,602 likes from her 283 million followers. After Swift disabled comments on her post, Swifties flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts. 

One user claimed, "Taylor Swift explained that her silence on the Vienna cancellations was a deliberate decision to prioritize her fans' safety by avoiding potential provocation."

Another user wrote, "People wanting her to speak while in a foreign country were stupid. Not acknowledging the terrorist group was the best thing she could do. I wish the Vienna fans that were complaining didn’t have room temp iqs. It was a sucky situation and she did her best." 

A third added, "Taylor Swift's silence shows her dedication to keeping fans safe." One quipped, "She was extremely smart for this. as an artist in this situations, protecting ur fans is top priority."

Another lauded, "People always hate on her for not speaking up in the moment. She always thinks about others and their safety."

Another one added, "Real ones knew this was the reason 🫶🏻 we love her."

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