Taylor Swift's "biggest fear" of an attack at one of her shows has resurfaced in the wake of the cancellation of her "Eras Tour" shows in Vienna, Austria, over a "planned terrorist attack" at the stadium.
Swift once openly expressed her serious concerns about the safety of her fans at her concerts, especially in the wake of tragic incidents like "the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting."
"I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn't know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months," she said in a 2019 column for Elle magazine.
"There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense, and effort put into keeping my fans safe," Swift added.
A tragedy unfolded in May 2017 at Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester, England, when a suicide bomber claimed the lives of 22 individuals and injured many more. Five months later, another act of violence shook the world when a gunman opened fire at an outdoor country music festival in Las Vegas, leading to the deaths of 58 people.
In the wake of these distressing events, the now-34-year-old singer-songwriter disclosed in the column how her "fear of violence" seeped into her personal life. She shared that she started carrying around "army grade bandage dressing" for potential stab wounds or gunshots.
Swift -- who has faced numerous stalkers throughout her career -- confessed that "websites and tabloids" making her personal information easily accessible online increased her levels of anxiety.
"You get enough stalkers trying to break into your house and you kind of start prepping for bad things," she said.
Swift's admission resurfaced after her three scheduled "Eras Tour" shows in Vienna were called off Wednesday due to safety concerns.
Concert organizer Barracuda Music released a statement on Instagram Wednesday, saying, "With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety."
After the arrest of two suspected extremists in Austria, authorities disclosed that they uncovered a terrorist plot aimed at a major event in the Vienna area, potentially Swift's performances.
Austrian officials confirmed that the two individuals are linked to the terrorist group ISIS.
The details regarding the suspects were provided by U.S. intelligence to Austrian authorities, CBS News reported, citing unnamed sources.
In Ternitz, located south of Vienna, authorities apprehended the primary suspect, a 19-year-old individual, while the second suspect was detained in the Austrian capital.
Swift's shows for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were part of her "Eras Tour" and were scheduled to be held at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium.
Barracuda Music assured that ticket refunds will be processed within 10 business days.
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