Taylor Swift Seen for First Time Since Canceling Austria Concerts Over Terrorist Plot

Taylor Swift is getting ready to begin again after a major scare.

The Grammy winner stepped out for the first time since canceling her shows in Austria due to a terrorist plot, exiting an August 13 gathering for her Eras Tour staff at London’s private club Annabel’s. Her event came just two days before she takes the stage to continue her tour in London on August 15.

Meanwhile, the shows that were scheduled for Vienna on Aug. 8, Aug. 9, and Aug. 10, were all cancelled after authorities confirmed at least two men had planned to carry out terrorist attacks at the city’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion soccer stadium during the sold-out shows.

While Swift has not commented publicly about the foiled attacks or the cancellations, authorities and governmental officials from Austria have been updating the public on the investigation’s development.

A 19-year-old Austrian man was taken into custody Aug. 8 alongside a 17-year-old Austrian man, the Head of Austria's Directorate of State Security and Intelligence Omar Haijawi-Pirchner shared during a press conference that day. 

Haijawi-Pirchner also confirmed that the 19-year-old confessed that he’d planned to kill himself and a “large” number of people during the event and that authorities found materials including homemade explosives in his home.

He likewise noted that the 17-year-old was hired by a company providing unspecified services at the concert venue only days before the concerts were scheduled to occur.

Now, ahead of the Eras Tour London leg, authorities are taking preventative measures to ensure concertgoers’ safety.

According to Wembley Stadium’s website, the venue noted “no one is allowed to stand outside any entrance or on the Olympic Steps at the front of the stadium,” while fans without tickets will be asked to “move on.” Camping also has been prohibited at the stadium and fans with tickets will be allowed into the stadium earlier than usual.

While she has yet to comment on the planned attack, Swift has previously spoken about her fear around something like this occurring, in light of attacks that have occurred at concerts. In 2017, a suicide bomber attacked Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester and that same year, a shooting occurred at a music festival in Las Vegas, both events killing dozens of concertgoers.

"After the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting," Swift told Elle in 2019, "I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn't know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months. There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense, and effort put into keeping my fans safe." And although her fear of violence has continued in her personal life, she doesn't want it to control her.

"Every day I try to remind myself of the good in the world, the love I've witnessed, and the faith I have in humanity," Swift continued. "We have to live bravely in order to truly feel alive, and that means not being ruled by our greatest fears."