Terrorists often target large events to attract maximum attention. Swift fans are shocked and disappointed. How big is the Islamist threat – also in Germany?
There is a deep shock in Vienna that an Islamist wanted to cause a bloodbath at a Taylor Swift concert and was already well advanced with his preparations. The US singer’s fans, many of whom are young, are extremely disappointed about missing the concert, but they are also shocked about what could have happened. The threat of terrorism at large events is once again within reach.
Why big concerts?
The perpetrators are looking for maximum attention and as many victims as possible who come together to celebrate and may have put aside security concerns or precautions. “Large concerts are often a preferred target for Islamist attackers,” said Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. He referred, among other things, to the attack on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris in 2015, where 130 people were murdered. And also to Manchester, where 22 visitors were killed at a concert by singer Ariana Grande in 2017. In March, 140 people were also victims of an attack in a suburb of Moscow at a concert by a Russian band.
What is the terrorist threat situation in Austria?
After the devastating attacks by the terrorist Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,200 people dead, the second highest terror alert level applies in Austria. This means increased vigilance by the authorities and security precautions at events. The horror of the destruction caused by the Israeli war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip is also fueling the willingness to resort to violence among many young people. Vienna experienced a terrorist rampage in 2020 in which an attacker killed four people and injured 23 others, some seriously. He was shot dead by the police.
The organizer Live Nation announced that there was no increased risk for the upcoming Coldplay concerts in the same stadium. “We should try to remain calm and not fuel the situation with speculation,” it said. “All fans can assume that the safety of visitors, employees and artists always takes priority.” According to the police, there is also no concrete evidence of a specific risk for the Frequency Festival in St. Pölten, which starts next Wednesday.
How big is IS anyway?
The main suspect in the attack in Vienna has sworn allegiance to the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). IS and its various regional offshoots continue to pose a great threat. After its military defeat in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, the terrorist network was able to recruit fewer followers for a while. But things are now looking different again. Radicalized lone perpetrators and small terrorist cells, which are harder to detect, are particularly dangerous – even in Europe.
“The risk of jihadist attacks is higher than it has been for a long time,” said the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, to the German Press Agency in Berlin in June. He gave various reasons. IS and the Islamist Taliban are indeed enemies. Nevertheless, the seizure of power by the Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan has, according to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, promoted the jihadist idea overall. Other reinforcing factors are Koran burnings in Scandinavia and the Israeli military operation against the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip, said Haldenwang.
Are there currently any specific danger situations in Germany?
No, but the abstract danger remains high. Security authorities are now taking action at an earlier stage than they did ten years ago. This is also a lesson from the terrorist attack on a Berlin Christmas market in 2016. In June and July of this year, several suspected IS supporters were arrested in Germany. One of them was a young man with German-Moroccan-Polish nationality. He had unsuccessfully applied to work as a steward and security guard at major events, including a music festival and events outside the stadiums during the European Football Championship. His application was rejected because the security authorities had him on their radar due to possible sympathies for the terrorist group Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISPK). The man was arrested at Cologne/Bonn Airport as he was trying to leave the country.
How is London preparing for the upcoming Swift concerts?
British Police Secretary of State Diana Johnson said London police would review all available information before Taylor Swift returns to the UK for a series of concerts. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told the German Press Agency that there were no reports of anything notable regarding Swift, but that the public would be kept informed. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city was sticking to the planned concerts with Swift. “We have a lot of experience in providing police support for such events,” said Khan. A lot had been learned after the terrible attack in Manchester.
What do Swift fans say?
“Safety first” – this is what many people are saying on social media. Nevertheless, many fans are heartbroken. A German family traveled from California because they could only get tickets for Swift’s concert in Vienna for their daughter. The daughter has been Swift’s most loyal fan for ten years and had been working towards the concert for a year, reported the mother. The family planned their entire European trip around the concert and spent “thousands of euros on completely overpriced hotels in Vienna.”
Some “Swifties,” as the singer’s fans call themselves, called for people to party on social media anyway. On Instagram, someone suggested wearing the outfit they had planned for the concert and posting little dance videos to Swift songs with the hashtag #viennaswifties. “We’re making social media shine,” they said. “It’s a great day to be alive at the same time as Taylor Swift.”
Will those who cancel their trip to Vienna receive a refund?
The cost of the tickets will be refunded, but most people will probably be left with hotel and flight costs. In individual cases, those affected must look at the provider’s cancellation policy. “I estimate that many people chose non-cancellable fares and are now left with the costs,” said travel law expert Karolina Wojtal from the European Consumer Centre. Those who booked a package with concert tickets, hotel and travel should have a better chance of getting a refund. The Austrian railway company wanted to refund tickets purchased directly from them for travel to the concerts “as a gesture of goodwill”.
Will the organizer be left with the costs?
Barracuda Music has assured fans that tickets will be refunded within ten days. As for the costs of renting the stadium, security services and much more, organizers usually take out cancellation insurance for this, said Johannes Everke, managing director of the Federal Association of the Concert and Event Industry, to the dpa. “Such insurance covers damage and losses due to the cancellation or termination of an event, provided the organizer is not responsible for the reason for this.” The threat of terrorism is one of the insurable risks.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
