VIENNA (AP) – Police watched as hundreds of Taylor Swift fans gathered in the Austrian capital on Thursday and sang her songs. watching her perform live was abruptly ended.
Three sold-out concerts in Vienna, part of Swift’s Eras Tours show, were cancelled by the organisers after officials announced arrests because of an obvious plot to attack their showsand said they appeared to be inspired by the terrorist militia Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
The Ernst Happel Stadium, where up to 65,000 fans were expected, was empty on Thursday except for the media shots outside. Later in the day, fans flocked to Corneliusgasse – a small street just five kilometers from the stadium – to exchange friendship bracelets and express their condolences over the cancellations. The beaded bracelets, which usually feature Swift’s song titles or well-known sayings, are usually exchanged with strangers at concerts.
Fans gathered at Corneliusgasse because the street name is reminiscent of “Cornelia Street,” the name of a thoughtful synth-pop track from Swift’s 2019 album “Lover.”
The title refers to a street in New York’s Greenwich Village, where Swift rented a luxury apartment in 2016 and where fans now take selfies. “And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends,” she sings in the song’s chorus. “I would never walk down Cornelia Street again.”
Their fans clapped, danced and cheered as they belted out some of their songs and took selfies with each other. Some were in good spirits, others were overcome with emotion, hugging and crying, saying their hearts were broken.
Swifties attached bracelets to trees downtown. A police officer’s uniform was decorated with bracelets.
When it started to rain, some fans dispersed, perhaps to meet again another day.
