An individual in Austria has been found guilty of planning an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. The 21-year-old Austrian, known as Beran A to comply with privacy laws, was convicted by the state court in Wiener Neustadt on various charges related to the concert scheme, as reported by the Austria Press Agency.
During his trial last month, Beran A, represented by his defense lawyer, admitted to the charges associated with the concert conspiracy. Despite the thwarting of the plot, Austrian authorities decided to cancel Swift’s upcoming performances in the country scheduled for August 2024.
In his brief statement to the court before deliberations on Thursday, Beran A expressed remorse, saying, “I would just like to say that I am sorry.” Evidence presented in court revealed that Beran A had planned to target concert attendees outside the Ernst Happel Stadium using knives or homemade explosives.
Numerous Taylor Swift fans, also known as Swifties, had traveled to Austria to attend the shows on the Eras Tour. Disappointed by the cancellations, many fans gathered in central Vienna to exchange friendship bracelets and commiserate over the canceled concerts.