On August 8 2024, 3 of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tours concerts at the Ernst-Happel Stadion were abruptly canceled as Viennese authorities connected an attempted terrorist attack to three teens.
In these past two weeks, over 150,000 “Swifties” were counting down the days for the global sensation of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour to make its mark in Vienna. Except, the only mark made was devastation.
Two of the older teens- aged 19 and 17 -were recently arrested, allegedly involved in a more complex plan with other individuals. The identities of the men are unknown, but the consequences of their threat are widespread.
For the safety of a thousand expected attendees, along with the artist herself, the three concerts were shut down. Disappointment weighed heavy, a mix of despair and relief at the thought of almost losing their lives.
Though the stadium sat empty, a hundred voices crowded the streets. Joining their hands into hearts, with colorful friendship bracelets decorating their arms, just waiting to be shared.
After a two-week silence, Taylor Swift tweeted her thoughts over the terrorist threat, sharing that she felt “a tremendous amount of guilt” as she was grateful to be “grieving the concerts and not lives.”
With the following London shows right after, Swift worked even harder to protect thes safety of fans.
“I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together. 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,” said Swift on an Instagram post.
In the absence of the concerts, the well-known tradition of bracelet swapping that Swifties hold dear defied any darkness brought on from the conspired attacks.
Even Vienna is left with a memorable mark by fans, connecting their impact on local parks by tying an assortment of bracelets, necklaces, and more along the swaying trees. At the front of the tree, a sign reads “Hello Swifties”, welcoming the fans to take their pick of handcrafted pieces. The decorated tree stands as a symbol of unity, resilience, and compassion between all fans making the most of an avoided tragedy.
