Taylor Swift breaks silence on Vienna terror threat: "My priority was finishing our European tour safely"
Taylor Swift has shared a statement following the end of the UK/EU of The Eras Tour, addressing her silence over the terror threat which led to shows in Vienna being cancelled.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that government officials had discovered plans of a suspected terrorist threat due to strike at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium, where Taylor Swift was due to perform. At the time, fans were speculating about the status of the final shows at Wembley Arena, as a few weeks earlier, there was an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, where three children were killed, along with eight others injured.
At the time, Swift did not share any statements about the planned attacks, or whether she would be finishing the tour. Instead, she silently went ahead with the final shows. Now, she has broken her silence.
"I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the 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 wrote. "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."
Swift describes the "rollercoaster of emotions" that she felt during the London shows, due to the "devastating" nature of the cancellations in Vienna. "In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that."
Noting that it was "the most dizzying honor to become the first solo artist to play Wembley 8 times in one tour", she shared her gratitude to those who helped make the tour possible. "Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime."
The Eras Tour comes to an end on 8 December in Vancouver.
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