Thwarted terror attack at Lady Gaga's concert in Rio
About two million people swarmed the iconic Copacabana beach into the early hours to listen to the American diva, according to city officials, under the watch of an impressive security deployment.
The civil police of Rio de Janeiro announced in a statement that, in collaboration with the Justice Ministry, they had 'prevented a bomb attack that was supposed to occur during Lady Gaga's show at Copacabana.' The attempted attack had been orchestrated by a group that 'spread hate speech' and promoted the radicalization of adolescents and self-harm on digital platforms, according to police. The assailants designed this plan as a 'collective challenge' to gain notoriety on social media, said the police. The project targeted children, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community, a group strongly represented among the hundreds of thousands of Lady Gaga fans in Rio. The 'leader of the group' and 'responsible for the plan' was arrested in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (south) while illegally carrying a firearm. A teenager is also in custody in Rio de Janeiro. As part of Operation 'Fake Monster,' police conducted 13 searches in several cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as well as in São Paulo (southeast), Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso (west). They had previously given the figure of 15. 'Those involved recruited participants to promote attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails,' the police further stated.
'Sick with fear'
The American singer posted on X after these revelations a message that does not mention the thwarted attack: 'Your heart shines so much, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historic moment with you.' Her fans, affectionately called 'little monsters,' took to social media to express their relief at the police's reaction. 'Thank god. This would have shocked more than two million people,' said the LadyGagaFansTogether account on Instagram. Another fan reacted: 'I am literally sick with fear for her (Lady Gaga) safety.' 'The police acted quietly and without creating panic ... We acted surgically to ensure the crime did not happen,' explained Felipe Curi, a Rio civil police official, as cited in a note from the institution.
City authorities, who also hope for economic benefits exceeding $100 million, aim to establish this tradition of the free mega-concert in May to boost tourism during a period considered the low season.
Lady Gaga kicked off the evening, perched more than six feet above the stage in a scarlet dress, singing her 2011 hit 'Bloody Mary' to a delirious crowd. The American pop diva, who hadn't performed in Brazil since a tour in 2012, followed with 'Abracadabra,' one of the main tracks from her latest album, 'Mayhem,' released in March. Mid-song, Lady Gaga removed her red dress to reveal another one in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cedar News
2 days ago
- Cedar News
HEAVY GUNFIRE ERUPTS Near U.S. Embassy in Haiti's Tabarre District
🔴 Gunfire Near U.S. Embassy in Haiti Raises Alarms Gunfire near U.S. Embassy in Haiti has triggered emergency protocols, as American government personnel suspended all official movements outside the embassy compound in Port-au-Prince. The incident occurred in the Tabarre district, an area close to the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy. Local sources and the embassy's own alert confirmed that heavy gunfire broke out earlier today. 🚫 Movement Suspended for Embassy Staff According to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, staff have been ordered to shelter in place, and all movement outside the compound has been temporarily suspended due to security concerns. 'Due to gunfire in the vicinity of the embassy compound, all official movements are paused,' the embassy announced. ⚠️ Residents Advised to Avoid the Area The embassy is urging residents and visitors to avoid Tabarre until further notice, as the situation remains fluid. No injuries among embassy staff have been reported so far. 📌 Background This incident comes amid growing unrest in Haiti, where political instability and gang violence have surged in recent months. The Tabarre district is often on alert due to its proximity to key government and international buildings.
L'Orient-Le Jour
3 days ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
US confirms death of American in West Bank
The U.S. State Department on Sunday confirmed an American citizen had died this week in the West Bank, with family and Palestinian officials attributing his death to arson by Israeli settlers. The Palestinian Authority and witnesses reported on Thursday that Israeli settlers had set fire to homes and cars in the West Bank village of Silwad, the latest attack in the occupied territory. Khamis Ayyad, 41, died from smoke inhalation due to the fires, the Palestinian health ministry said. Speaking Friday at a press conference in Chicago, Ayyad's family said he had moved to the West Bank several years ago with his wife and children, but continued to work for an American company. He is at least the second American citizen killed in West Bank settler violence in July, after a 20-year-old man was beaten to death while visiting family in the town of Sinjil. Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, demanded Israel investigate that killing, calling it a "criminal and terrorist act," but has yet to comment on the death of Ayyad. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said "several suspects ... set fire to property and vehicles in the Silwad area," but forces dispatched to the scene were unable to identify them. It added that Israeli police had launched an investigation. Asked for comment on the latest death, a State Department spokesperson said, "We can confirm the death of a U.S. citizen in the town of Silwad in the West Bank," without naming Ayyad. "We condemn criminal violence by any party in the West Bank," the spokesperson said, on condition of anonymity. The West Bank is home to some three million Palestinians, who live alongside about 500,000 Israeli settlers. Violence in the territory has surged throughout the Gaza war, triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 days ago
- L'Orient-Le Jour
'Hezbollah committed all major crimes in Lebanon in past 25 years': Abu Assi
Lebanese Forces (LF) MP Pierre Abu Assi described the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut port explosion, which killed 235 people and injured more than 7,000, as the "crime of the century," pointing to "Hezbollah as the primary accused." In an interview with the Al Jadeed podcast, reported by the National News Agency (NNA), he specified that this tragedy is made up of three consecutive crimes: the storage of dangerous materials in the heart of the capital for years up to Aug. 3, the catastrophic explosion on the evening of Aug. 4 and impunity, the most serious crime, which began on Aug. 5. "Five years have already passed, but the investigation has not led to any results," lamented Abu Assi. "All the major crimes committed in Lebanon over the past 25 years, whose perpetrators have not been identified, were committed by Hezbollah, from the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri to the Aug. 4 explosion, as well as the assassination of Elias Hasrouni [LF official] in Ain Ibl." "The attacks against the judge and the intrusion into the Justice Palace are further evidence of the party's involvement. There is, in fact, a clear decision not to let the investigation advance," he continued, alluding to pressure put on investigating judge Tarek Bitar, and to the demonstration against this magistrate on Oct. 14, 2021, outside the Beirut Justice Palace, led by Hezbollah and the Amal movement, which escalated into bloody clashes. After two years of political and judicial obstacles, the investigation into the double explosion at Beirut's port, led by Judge Bitar, was relaunched last January. The indictment is still pending. "Lebanon is no longer among the priorities of the international community," added Abu Assi, recalling recent statements by American envoy Tom Barrack, who called on Beirut to disarm Hezbollah and asserted that "the United States would not wait for Lebanon, nor would Saudi Arabia or any other friendly country." In this context, the MP accused the party of refusing to surrender its weapons and of threatening the social contract. "The truth is, Hezbollah is Iran's political and security arm in Lebanon and refuses to surrender its weapons, which threatens the social contract based on equality among Lebanese. What is happening today undermines this contract, and if we cross the point of no return, only God knows how things will end," he insisted, also stating that "civil peace can only be achieved if the state fully plays its role, not by abandoning it."
