Austrian court convicts man over plot to attack Taylor Swift's Vienna concert
An Austrian court has convicted a man of planning an attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, a plot that led to the cancellation of the singer’s scheduled shows in the city.
The state court in Wiener Neustadt found the 21-year-old Austrian citizen, identified in line with privacy rules as Beran A., guilty on charges related to the planned attack near the Ernst Happel Stadium. Authorities said the plot involved targeting concertgoers with knives or homemade explosives during Swift’s Eras Tour stop in August 2024.
Although the attack was ultimately foiled, officials canceled all three of Swift’s Vienna performances at the time due to security concerns. Tens of thousands of fans had been expected to attend, and many gathered in central Vienna afterward to express disappointment and solidarity, trading friendship bracelets and mourning the cancellations.
During the trial, Beran A.’s defense attorney said he admitted to the concert-related charges on the first day of proceedings last month. In brief remarks before the court adjourned to deliberate, he told the judge, “I would just like to say that I am sorry.”
The case was part of a broader investigation involving multiple suspects accused of plotting coordinated attacks in different countries during Ramadan 2024 in the name of the Islamic State group. While two other individuals were linked to the wider conspiracy, only Beran A. was charged in connection with the Vienna concert plot, and he denied involvement in the separate allegations tied to the broader scheme.
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