Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Returns to London After Alleged Vienna Incident

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is set to return to London on Thursday, marking the first performance since authorities reported foiling a planned attack on her shows in Vienna. Tens of thousands of fans are anticipated to attend the concerts at Wembley Stadium.

According to London’s Metropolitan Police, there are currently no threats that would hinder the concerts in the British capital. They affirmed that London regularly hosts numerous high-profile events, with millions of visitors enjoying them safely each year. The police work in close collaboration with venue security and other partners to ensure appropriate security measures and policing plans are 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,” stated a police spokesperson.

Wembley Stadium has advised fans without tickets to the five shows that they won’t be able to gather around the stadium during performances. “Anyone hanging around outside the stadium will be moved on by security,” the stadium’s website posted.

Nick Aldworth, a former U.K. counterterrorism national coordinator, stated that law enforcement officials are attempting to assess any residual or transnational threats following the cancellation of the Vienna shows. Aldworth pointed out that it would likely be the venue operators who would decide to postpone or cancel a concert in the presence of a threat, but such decisions are considered extreme and unnecessary if security can prevent acts of terrorism.

“The unknown in this equation is how vulnerable people are outside of the premises and whether other stakeholders, including the police, have the capacity and willingness to deal with that,” Aldworth added.

Aldworth was responsible for counterterrorism protective security in London in 2017, the year a bombing at an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena resulted in 23 deaths, including the attacker. An inquiry followed to determine the failures in preventing the attack.

“There are several parallels between Wembley and Manchester Arena, especially in terms of environmental layout and responsibilities that span different organizations who must collaborate to ensure safety,” he observed. Aldworth remarked that post-inquiry, all parties should have a precise understanding of their roles and cooperation strategies.

This article was originally published by CBS News.

Source: CBS News, ET Online