Taylor Swift: Vienna ticket holders feel both disappointment and relief

Fans of Taylor Swift came together in Vienna to support each other following the cancellations.

BBC News in Austria's capital city Please note: This is a simplified version and may not capture the full nuance or detail of the original text.

Taylor Swift fans who had tickets to her concerts in Vienna are feeling really sad because the shows got canceled. They are thankful to the police for making this tough decision, even though they are disappointed.

Austrian officials have revealed that a follower of the Islamic State group was plotting to carry out a terrorist attack at her upcoming stadium concerts scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Approximately 250,000 fans were anticipated to show up during the three evenings as part of the renowned US singer's highly successful Eras tour.

Among those in attendance was Jessica Holroyd, who had traveled from Bristol to be at the event.

She said she learned about the news while she was at the airport and ended up shedding some tears in the airport restroom.

"Feeling very emotional about this. I've been a fan since I was 15 and I'm turning 32 soon, so it's really tough for me to accept."

Ms Holroyd described the concerts as a significant event for many individuals.

"It seems like this could be the only chance to see her, especially during the Eras tour, so it really feels like a major disappointment."

On the other hand, she expressed her belief that the Austrian authorities had managed the situation effectively.

"It is unfortunate, but it appears to be the most sensible choice for the safety of everyone involved - including the fans, crew, and especially Taylor. The thought of losing lives is too great a risk to take."

Another fan of Taylor Swift, Natascha Strobl, who is an Austrian researcher and writer, had originally planned to attend two out of the three concerts. She expressed her deep sadness, saying she was "completely heartbroken".

"I had been eagerly anticipating it for more than a year, making bracelets, coordinating outfits, and scheduling the entire day," she shared with BBC News.

There are individuals staying in hotels feeling lost and unsure of what to do, there are travelers facing uncertainty about their plans. They are in disbelief and many are overcome with emotion, leading to tears.

However, she acknowledged that there is no room for discussion when it comes to security.

She emphasized that safety is the top priority, stating that nobody can afford to take any chances after the tragic events like the one that occurred at Manchester arena in 2017.

Recently, a tragic incident occurred at a dance class inspired by Taylor Swift in Southport, where three young girls lost their lives in a knife attack.

"Sure, safety comes first," she stated. "However, we are entitled to feel really upset about it."

According to her, the information about the individuals planning in Vienna has caused increased anxiety among the public.

"They aim to instill fear in us. They seek to disrupt our daily routines. In some small way, they have succeeded in their goal, which is truly disheartening."

I would like to gather with the rest of the fans to provide support to each other. We were all looking forward to attending the concerts and feeling sad on our own in our homes or hotel rooms isn't beneficial for anyone.

Swift was scheduled to perform at the Ernst Happel Stadium.

Another supporter, Nelo, had been preparing to journey from his residence in Slovenia.

"We were getting ready. We were creating the outfits. And we've been working on this for weeks, for months," he said to BBC Radio 5 Live's Adrian Chiles.

Having a concert so close by was a major event in our lives. We were incredibly excited and put in a lot of effort to make it a success.

Yesterday evening, we were shocked to hear that terrorists had been apprehended. Initially, we were skeptical, but we hoped that increased security measures would ensure our safety.

"Later that evening, we learned that the event was canceled, and we realized that the situation was more severe than we had initially thought."

'A Disaster Was Averted'

Two individuals, one 19 years old and the other 17 years old, have been taken into custody.

At a press briefing, Austria's intelligence chief, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, revealed that a 19-year-old individual had plotted to launch an attack using bombs and blades.

"We confiscated these weapons and he was contemplating both options, with the intention of harming himself and a significant number of individuals either today or tomorrow at the concert," stated Mr. Haijawi-Pirchner.

Gerhard Karner, the Interior Minister of Austria, stated that the situation was grave, but a disaster had been averted.

In a 2019 interview, Swift expressed that her biggest fear was being targeted in an attack during one of her performances.

"When I heard about the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting in 2017, I was really scared to go on tour again because I didn't know how we would be able to keep three million fans safe for seven months," she shared with Elle in an interview.

A lot of time, money, and hard work went into making sure my fans were kept safe.

The upcoming shows on the artist's calendar will be taking place in London at Wembley Stadium for five consecutive nights starting next Thursday.

A representative from the city's Metropolitan Police stated that they collaborate closely with venue security teams and other partners to make sure there are suitable security and policing strategies in place.

They stated that the issues being looked into by Austrian officials should not affect any future events taking place in London.

"We will always carefully review any new information and keep you updated."

Chris Phillips, the ex-leader of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, mentioned that the event serves as a reminder that terrorism, especially Islamic terrorism, is still a problem.

Nevertheless, he assured that fans attending the concerts in the UK should not be any more concerned today than they were yesterday, as he mentioned during his interview with 5 Live.

He mentioned that a lot of effort goes on behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed, and success is often measured by when everything goes smoothly without any issues.

I think that Taylor Swift, following the recent events in Southport, would be extra aware of any similar situations occurring, and her team would feel the same way.

Perhaps that is why they decided to cancel these events, especially since they have apprehended the two suspects.