Brazilian authorities say they foiled a planned bomb attack targeting Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro this past Saturday. According to the Civil Police, working alongside the justice ministry, suspects had recruited individuals to carry out an attack using improvised explosive devices, reportedly aiming to gain attention on social media. Police arrested the suspected mastermind and a teenager involved in the plot.
Lady Gaga’s team said they were unaware of the threat until learning about it from news reports the next day.
The concert, which drew over two million attendees, went ahead without any security alerts at the time. Authorities said the group behind the plot had been spreading hate speech, especially targeting children, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community, and had encouraged radical behavior and violence among teens.
The main suspect was apprehended in Rio Grande do Sul for illegal firearm possession, while the teenager was arrested in Rio for possessing child pornography. The suspects reportedly identified as Lady Gaga fans, known as “Little Monsters.” As part of “Operation Fake Monster,” police executed search warrants across four states—Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo—seizing electronic devices and other evidence.
The concert, funded by the city to boost Rio’s economy with a projected $100 million impact, featured extensive security measures including 5,000 police officers, metal detectors, drones, and facial recognition technology.
Gaga, who hadn’t performed in Brazil since 2012, wowed the crowd with Brazil-themed costumes and paid tribute to fans, saying, “You waited for more than 10 years for me,” while waving a Brazilian flag.
