Lady Gaga reacts to the foiled attack at her giant concert in Rio
The American singer performed on Saturday, May 3, on Copacabana Beach in front of 2.1 million people. Authorities announced the following day that they had prevented a bomb attack and arrested two men.
The scenes of jubilation could have turned into a nightmare. Brazilian police announced on Sunday, May 4, that they had foiled a bomb attack at a free concert organized the day before by Lady Gaga on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. On social media, authorities said they had arrested two people in connection with the attempted attack, namely a man who was illegally possessing weapons and a teenager prosecuted for child pornography, according to the Hollywood Reporter . "The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, prevented a bomb attack at Lady Gaga's show in Copacabana," they said.
In a statement issued yesterday, the day after the gigantic concert, which attracted, according to city estimates, some 2.1 million spectators, a spokesperson for the New York singer said he "learned about this threat through the media" in the morning. "Before and during the concert, there were no security concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding risks ," he continued, surprised. "Her team worked closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert and all parties were confident in the security measures put in place."
For their part, Brazilian police said the foiled attack was planned by a group that spread hate speech against the LGBTQ community . The group allegedly sought to radicalize and recruit teenagers to commit attacks using Molotov cocktails and explosives. According to local police, it was a "collective challenge" organized with the aim of "gaining notoriety on social media." To find the suspects, Brazilian authorities raided the homes of fifteen people in several Brazilian states, confiscating their phones and other electronic devices.
Pictures of Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana Beach
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In this context, Saturday's concert was held in excellent conditions thanks to the "impressive security system deployed, with more than 5,000 agents, drones and facial recognition video surveillance cameras." Lady Gaga also expressed her gratitude to her fans, nicknamed the "Little Monsters" on social networks: "Nothing could prepare me [...] for the pride and joy I felt singing for the Brazilian people. The sight of the crowd during my first songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and unique, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historic moment with you."
On stage, the 39-year-old artist, who also stars in the latest Joker: Folie à deux , sang Poker Face , one of her greatest hits, on a monumental chessboard. Perched more than two meters high, dressed in an endless scarlet train that, when it opened, revealed a vertical cage in which her dancers were hidden, she sang Bloody Mary . For more than two hours, Lady Gaga performed her best hits like Abracadabra , one of the flagship titles of her latest album, "Mayhem" , released in March.
Despite these threats, city officials, who are counting on economic spinoffs of more than $100 million, are hoping to continue the tradition of the free mega-concert in May, in order to boost tourism during a period considered low season. Mayor Eduardo Paes has already hinted at plans to bring the Irish rock band U2 , without specifying a date.
