Taylor Swift resumed her Eras Tour one week after her Vienna, Austria concerts were canceled when a terrorist plot was discovered by officials. On Thursday, August 15, the 34-year-old pop superstar returned to London, performing at Wembley Stadium. Security was tight at the venue to maintain safety. Unlike most Eras Tour shows, Swifties were not permitted to gather outside of the arena. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop fans from enjoying the concert.
According to multiple outlets, Swift did not address the Vienna terror plot during her show, but she invited British pop singer Ed Sheeran on stage to join her. The duo performed a mashup of the songs “Thinkin’ Out Loud,” “Everything Has Changed” and “End Game.”
Taylor Swift asked me to join her on stage at Wembley last night but I couldn’t make it; glad Ed Sheeran was able to fill in at short notice. pic.twitter.com/SpDvYgYYRQ
— Larry the Cat (@Number10cat) August 16, 2024
On August 8, authorities in Vienna revealed that two suspects — a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old — had been arrested in connection to a planned attack on Swift’s concerts. A third person was subsequently arrested.
According to a statement released by Barracude Music on Instagram, government officials confirmed the planned attack. Directorate of State Security and Intelligence Oma Haijawi-Pirchne noted in a statement that the suspects “wanted to carry out an attack in the area outside the stadium, killing as many people as possible using the knives or even using the explosive devices he had made.”
🚨| Taylor Swift and special guest, Ed Sheeran, performing a mashup of “Everything Has Changed”, “End Game” and “Thinking Out Loud” at today’s show! #LondonTSTheErasTour
— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) August 15, 2024
Swift had three concerts scheduled to take place at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium from August 8 through August 10. Despite the cancelations, loyal concert attendees gathered in Vienna to exchange friendship bracelets and to celebrate their favorite artist.
News of the terrorist plan came just weeks after a 17-year-old teenager attacked a children’s Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, England. In July, Merseyside Police confirmed that three young girls were fatally stabbed. Other victims were left in critical condition.
In response to the incident, Swift penned a note that she shared to her Instagram Stories that month.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” she wrote. “The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
