Authorities in Rio de Janeiro have apprehended two individuals in connection with a suspected plot to use explosives during a free Lady Gaga concert, which is believed to have been aimed at Brazil’s LGBTQ community. The concert, held on Saturday at Copacabana beach and attended by an estimated 2.1 million fans, was the largest of Lady Gaga’s career and went ahead without any disturbances. Felipe Cury, the secretary of Rio’s police, stated that the suspects had been discussing plans for a bomb attack on the concert due to the event’s connection to sexual orientation.
The suspects were found to have been disseminating hateful and violent online content, allegedly attempting to recruit teenagers to participate in their violent plans, according to Rio’s police chief, Luiz Lima. The police have conducted searches on the homes of 15 individuals in several Brazilian states, seizing phones and other electronic devices. While there was no mention of any physical evidence of bombs being found, authorities indicated that one of the suspects believed Lady Gaga to be a Satanist.
The arrests were made without public notification to avoid panic, with the police and organizers of the event confident in the security measures in place. Lady Gaga expressed through her Instagram her gratitude for the crowd, describing the experience as a moment of pride and joy. Her free concert stood in stark contrast to the rising costs of live music performances worldwide, including her own highly priced tickets for shows at Coachella Valley music festival.
This incident follows a trend of entertainers performing freely to large crowds in public spaces, with Madonna having performed to 1.6 million fans at Copacabana beach last May. It also raises concerns over the safety of public events and the potential for such instances to impact the enjoyment of concerts and other gatherings.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/05/lady-gaga-concert-rio-bomb-plast-arrests
