Singing to Heal Their Pain. Several hundred “Swifties,” fans of singer Taylor Swift, spontaneously gathered this Thursday, August 8, in the streets of Vienna after the cancellation of her three concerts in the Austrian capital due to an Islamist terrorist plot. These symbolic acts took place as the American pop star was originally scheduled to perform starting tonight at the Ernst-Happel Stadium.
During these gatherings, fans took the opportunity to exchange friendship bracelets, a ritual that has become inseparable from Taylor Swift’s latest tour, the Eras Tour. The idea? To bring these bracelets, made of woven or plastic beads featuring the artist’s song lyrics, and exchange them with other fans at the concertsMany also didn’t hesitate to sing to soothe their broken hearts. In some videos posted on social media, they can be heard singing the iconic “All Too Well” or the more recent “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” from her latest album The Tortured Poets Department, released last April.
A Marriage Proposal
According to a correspondent from The Guardian and several posts on social media, many people also gathered on Corneliusgasse, a street in Vienna, to pay tribute to Taylor Swift’s song “Cornelia Street,” inspired by a street in New York where she once lived.
Finally, another ritual moment from the singer’s concerts—a marriage proposal during “Love Story.” This event also took place in the streets of Vienna, with a man getting down on one knee in front of his boyfriend, surrounded by cheering fans who were singing along to the song.
Nearly 160,000 Spectators Expected
In total, nearly 160,000 spectators were expected to attend Taylor Swift’s three concerts this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Some fans had spent hundreds of euros and crossed borders to see her perform. Many expressed their disappointment on social media, although they acknowledged that canceling the concerts was the right decision by the organizer, Barracuda Music.
Two people were arrested this Thursday, August 8, in Vienna for planning Islamist terrorist attacks, specifically targeting the concerts of the “Love Story” singer. The main suspect, a 19-year-old man, had planned a suicide bombing to “kill a large number of people,” according to the Alpine country’s intelligence services.
According to conservative Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, a “tragedy was averted” as “the situation was very serious,” particularly in light of the recent “attack” during a Taylor Swift-themed event in the UK, where three young girls were killed.
