Exactly two weeks after her Vienna shows were canceled due to a thwarted terrorist attack, Taylor Swift has finally broken her silence on the “devastating” events.
In a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday, the 34-year-old pop superstar reflected on the entirety of the European leg of her Eras Tour, revealing the plot in Vienna filled her “with a new sense of fear and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.”
However, she expressed her deepfelt gratitude to local authorities, saying that, “thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”
Three Vienna performances, scheduled to begin on Aug. 8, were canceled just one day before showtime after authorities uncovered a planned terrorist attack by teenagers who pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State.
Three suspects, 17, 18 and 19 years old, were arrested in connection with the plot. Law enforcement later said they planned to kill as many spectators as possible outside the stadium.
In addressing why she had not spoken about the incident sooner, Swift said, “Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows.”
“In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to,” she continued, adding that her focus became the safety of the hundreds of thousands of fans coming to her subsequent shows in London.
“My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us,” she said.
As her record-breaking Eras Tour now takes a brief hiatus until it resumes in Miami this October, Swift shared her gratitude for the support and unity shown by her fans during this difficult time.
“To the fans who have seen us this summer, you’ll always have the most sparkling place in my memories. You were a dream to perform for, dance with, and share those magical moments with,” she said.
With News Wire Services
