Brazilian authorities have confirmed they successfully prevented a planned bomb attack at Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, held on Saturday.
According to the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro state, working alongside the justice ministry, suspects had recruited individuals to execute attacks using improvised explosive devices. Investigators believe the motive was to gain notoriety on social media platforms.
The alleged mastermind and a teenager involved in the plot have been arrested, police said.
Lady Gaga’s team stated they only became aware of the threat through media reports the following morning. The free event drew more than two million attendees.
Authorities revealed that the group behind the plot had been disseminating hate speech, primarily targeting children, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community.
The main suspect was detained in Rio Grande do Sul for illegal possession of a firearm, while the teenager was arrested in Rio for storing child pornography.
Police added that the suspects were also promoting the radicalisation of teenagers, encouraging self-harm and violence as forms of social bonding and challenge among youth.
“We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning,” a spokesperson for Lady Gaga told The Hollywood Reporter.
“Prior to and during the show, there were no known safety concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding any potential risks.”
The justice ministry stated that the suspects identified themselves as fans of the artist, widely known as “Little Monsters.”
As part of the investigation, police carried out search operations across the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and Sao Paulo. Several electronic devices and other items were seized.
Codenamed “Operation Fake Monster,” the probe was launched after Rio state police intelligence uncovered online groups promoting extremist content among teenagers, often using coded language and radical symbols.
The city of Rio financed the concert as part of an economic revitalisation effort, projecting that the event could generate up to $100 million (£75 million) in revenue.
A large-scale security operation was in place for the show, involving 5,000 officers, metal detectors, drones, and facial recognition technology.
Lady Gaga, who last performed in Brazil in 2012, returned as part of her “Mayhem” tour, promoting her eighth studio album. The singer paid tribute to her Brazilian fans with themed costumes inspired by the national football team.
“You waited for more than 10 years for me,” she told the crowd, holding a Brazilian flag, visibly emotional during the performance.
