Police will look at ‘intelligence’ ahead of Taylor Swift return to UK – minister

Policing minister Diana Johnson said Scotland Yard will look at “all the intelligence” ahead of Taylor Swift returning to the UK for a series of concerts.

On Wednesday, the US singer’s three performances in Vienna, Austria, were cancelled over an apparent plot to launch a terrorist attack at her concert venue in the city.

Swift was set to perform at the Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and is next due to play five dates at London’s Wembley Stadium between Thursday August 15 and Tuesday August 20.

When asked on LBC radio about the arrests of suspected extremists in Vienna and what this could mean for the final leg of Swift’s UK tour, Ms Johnson said: “Clearly, the police will be looking at all the intelligence and making decisions, they risk assess every event that happens in this country, and that’s something for the police.

“Can I also just say there is, of course, a commitment in our manifesto in the General Election to introduce Martyn’s law, which, again, is about making sure that those… venues which could be subject to terrorist attack have in place everything that they need in terms of keeping people safe, and that will be brought forward by the government shortly.”

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: “London plays host to a significant number of very high profile events each year with millions of visitors having a safe and enjoyable experience.

“The Met works closely with venue security teams and other partners to ensure there are appropriate security and policing plans in place.

“There is nothing to indicate that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have an impact on upcoming events here in London.

“As always, we will continue to keep any new information under careful review.”

On Instagram on Wednesday, event organiser Barracuda Music wrote that “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety” as there had been “confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium”.

A 19-year-old suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and a second person in the Austrian capital.

Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s interior ministry, said authorities were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack “and also that there is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” the Austria Press Agency reported.

Mr Ruf said the 19-year-old had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group.

He also said chemical substances were secured and were being evaluated. He did not give more details.

Martyn’s Law is named after 2017 Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett, and is designed to help protect venues against terror attacks. It was part of the new Labour Government’s first King’s Speech. The speech to Parliament sets out the programme for legislation for the Government.

Barracuda Music said that “all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days”.

In July, there was a fatal knife attack on three girls, aged six, seven and nine, at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport, which sparked riots throughout the UK.

Swift said she was in “completely in shock” following the deaths at the children’s event.

A suspect has appeared in court charged with the crime.

Swift had thanked Poland’s Warsaw audiences for giving her “the best time”, and said she could not “believe we have two cities left on the European leg of The Eras Tour”, before the cancellations in Austria.

The 34-year-old singer added: “It’s truly flown by. See you soon Vienna.”

Her representative, the Home Office and Wembley Stadium have all been contacted for further comment.