Taylor Swift Breaks Silence on Vienna Terror Plot

Taylor Swift is speaking out for the first time after a terror plot prompted the cancellation of three of her Eras Tour dates — and explaining why she initially chose to stay silent.

In a lengthy Instagram post shared following the conclusion of her European leg of the tour, Swift said that playing her final few dates in London was a “rollercoaster of emotions” after three shows in Vienna were canceled amid a foiled terror plot.

“Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows,” she wrote in a post on Wednesday, Aug. 21. “But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”

The “Fortnight” singer, 34, said she was “heartened by the love and unity” she saw among fans in the aftermath, as many fans in Vienna flooded the streets to sing Swift’s songs together and exchange friendship bracelets, which has become a tradition at her shows.

“Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows,” she wrote. “In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”