Brazilian authorities announced that they successfully foiled a bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
According to the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, working in coordination with the justice ministry, suspects were recruiting individuals to carry out an attack using homemade explosives. The motive, police stated, was to gain recognition and attention on social media platforms.
Police confirmed the arrest of the alleged ringleader and a teenage accomplice in connection with the planned attack.
Lady Gaga’s team said they were unaware of the threat until they saw media coverage the following morning. The event, which attracted over two million fans, was open to the public and free of charge.
Authorities reported that the group behind the plot had been sharing hate-fueled content online, targeting children, teenagers, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The individual believed to be the mastermind was detained in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul for illegal firearm possession. The teenager was arrested in Rio for possessing child exploitation material.
Investigators also revealed that the suspects had been promoting extremist ideologies and encouraging self-harm and violence among youth as a form of identity and belonging.
Lady Gaga’s concert drew a record-breaking crowd of around two million fans. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, a representative for the singer said: “We only became aware of the alleged threat through media reports this morning. There were no warnings or alerts from law enforcement before or during the event.”
The justice ministry noted that the suspects identified themselves as fans of the pop star, commonly referred to as “Little Monsters.”
As part of the operation, authorities carried out search warrants across several states, including Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Mato Grosso, and Rio Grande do Sul, seizing electronic devices and related materials.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Fake Monster,” was launched after a tip from Rio state police intelligence, which uncovered online groups using encrypted language and extremist symbols to encourage violence among youth.
The city of Rio funded the concert as part of an initiative to boost tourism and stimulate the local economy, anticipating up to $100 million in revenue.
Security at the event was tight, with 5,000 police officers deployed. Attendees passed through metal detectors, while drones and facial recognition systems monitored the massive crowd.
Lady Gaga, who last performed in Brazil in 2012, returned as part of a promotional tour for her eighth studio album, Mayhem. She wore costumes inspired by Brazilian culture, including outfits that paid tribute to the country’s national football team.
Addressing the fans, she held a Brazilian flag and told them with emotion, “You waited more than a decade for me.”
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