Two arrests for attack plan on Lady Gaga concert in Rio

Two arrests for attack plan on Lady Gaga concert in Rio

In Brazil, the authorities confirmed on Sunday that two people were arrested in connection with an alleged plan, explosives with a free Lady Gaga concert in Rio de Janeiro. This event took place on Saturday and with over 2 million fans at Copacabana was the biggest appearance of the pop icon. The crowds cheered and danced to their most famous hits.

unplanned arrests and security situation

Despite the arrest of suspects in the hours before the concert, the event went without incidents, which caused some to question the seriousness of the threat. A planned security concept usually means that such major events are canceled, as was the case at Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna last year. The police said the alleged plan that she did not make anything public at the time to "avoid panic" and "prevent misinformation".

Lady Gaga's reaction to the threat

On Sunday, a spokesman for Lady Gaga commented and explained that the artist and her team "learned about this alleged incident about media reports". No known security concerns had been expressed before and during the concert, nor had there been communication from the police that pointed out to potential risks. "Your team worked closely with the law enforcement authorities during the planning and implementation of the concert, and everyone involved had full confidence in the security measures," added the speaker.

strict safety precautions

At the concert, 5,200 military and police officers were deployed to ensure the safety of the celebrating fans. They enjoyed the classic hits of the pop artist, including "Born This Way", who has been considered a kind of anthem of the LGBTQ+community since its publication in 2011. The police of Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian Ministry of Justice presented the rough outlines of a plan that affected a group to ignite and planned, self-made explosive devices during the event.

arrests and searches

The investigative authorities arrested two people in connection with the alleged plan - a man who was described as the leader of the group in the southern state of Rio Grande Do Sul, because of illegal gun ownership, and a teenager in Rio for child pornography. The police did not provide any information about their exact roles in the plan or how the group became aware of the free concert by Lady Gaga. According to the police, the participants, including young people, recruited coordinated attacks with improvised explosive devices and Molotov cocktails.

public security and raids

The Ministry of Justice said that the group was a “risk of public order”. The members explained online as “Little Monsters” - a name of Lady Gaga for their fans - to achieve young people and to attract them to “networks with violent and self -destructive content”. However, the ministry found that there had been no effect on visitors to the open-air concert. In a series of searches of the apartments of 15 suspects in several Brazilian states, the authorities confiscated telephones and other electronic devices. Although the police assumed that the self -made bombs were intended for the planned attack, there were no reports of found weapons or explodable materials.

a historical moment for Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga expressed her gratitude for the huge crowd in an Instagram contribution without responding to the alleged plan. "Nothing could have prepared me for the feeling that I had at the last concert - the absolute pride and joy that I felt while singing for the people of Brazil," she wrote. "The sight of the crowd during my first songs has stolen my breath. Your heart shines so brightly, your culture is so alive and special. I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you."

Your free beach concert stands out, as the ticket prices for live music are increasing worldwide and concert goers pay incredible sums to see their favorite artists. Rio de Janeiro also has a story of such events, because in May last year Superstar Madonna performed around 1.6 million fans on the extensive beach of Copacabana.