Beaded friendship bracelets hang from the branches of the trees and bushes lining Corneliusgasse, a street in Vienna. Hundreds of Taylor Swift fans have been passing through the narrow area in the lead-up to the Eras tour touching down in Austria this week. It’s been dubbed a version of New York’s Cornelia Street — a staple location in the Swift-ian Universe — and quickly became a must-visit spot for both native and visiting fans, stopping in to leave and pick up bracelets. Today, there was a swarm. Swifties were hoping to be singing, dancing, and trading friendship bracelets just a few miles away at Ernst Happel Stadium — but all three Eras tour performances scheduled in the city were canceled after authorities arrested two Austrian teenagers accused of planning to execute a terror attack at the venue. In a moment of fear, fans turned the trading tree into a centerpiece for finding community.
“I already knew about Corneliusgasse in Vienna and I had planned to go and see it before the show. Never had I imagined this would be my only chance to trade friendship bracelets,” Swift fan Emilia Striano, 23, tells Rolling Stone. On Tuesday, Striano flew into Vienna from Milan for the tour and was in her hotel room when she received news that the shows had been canceled. “I was getting ready for bed, and I kept getting messages from friends saying to watch out and be careful,” she recalls. “At first, I didn’t believe what was happening: I had been waiting for more than a year and had everything planned, outfits ready and friendship bracelets made.”
Striano felt a mix of sadness and disappointment but also a sense of relief that the plot was discovered before anyone could be harmed. The 19-year-old and 17-year-old suspects who were arrested were allegedly planning to carry out an attack on either Thursday or Friday, the first two days of the Eras tour in Vienna. Materials that could be used to build a bomb were uncovered at the home of the 19-year-old, who authorities say was inspired by ISIS. Per the Associated Press, Austria’s head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, stated: “His goal was to kill himself and a large crowd of people.” Just as Swifties were making plans for months leading up to their shows, the suspects reportedly began crafting their own plans in July.
“I was angry because I was looking forward to the concert for one year and it definitely would have been one of the highlights. Then two young, hateful adults come and decide to attack our values that this community has been building up for decades: the freedom to be who we want to be, the confidence to fight for the rights of women, queer people, and minorities in general,” says Tobias Euler-Rolle, 23, who also gathered at Corneliusgasse earlier today. “The concert itself and the community are such a safe space for everyone … What this experience also taught me [is] that nothing should be taken for granted. Within hours, everything can change, and that is why we should enjoy and celebrate every moment we have.”
This seems to have been the ethos driving Swifties, who sought community with one another in the streets of Vienna following the cancellation. Videos shared across social media capture hundreds of fans clustered together, singing songs from throughout Swift’s discography with the same passion they planned to exhibit in the stadium. “I went in the afternoon, and I didn’t think this would be a real and proper event: Swifties everywhere, music blasting, and a lot of good energy — just what everyone needed after such sad news,” Striano shares. “Being there with fans was an amazing feeling, and it truly encapsulates what being a Swiftie really means.” The crowd spanned fans of all ages, including kids and even grandfathers, Euler-Rolle notes. “It felt like a mini version of the Eras tour, although it is a poor consolation,” he notes.
There’s also the factor of the impromptu gathering — which began, in part, late Wednesday night in the hours after news broke of the cancellation — not being a regulated event. For fans and spectators alike, the decision to congregate in hundreds-deep crowds less than 24 hours after being informed of a thwarted terrorist attack seemed illogical at best and incredibly dangerous at worst. “I have to be honest: I was a bit scared at first, but seeing police everywhere made us feel safer,” Striano says. “Of course, there still was a chance of risk, but it was what everyone needed in that moment — especially people coming from all over the world.”
Silvia Sena, 37, arrived in Vienna this week from Seattle, more than 5,000 miles away. Already an avid traveler, she saw the show as a chance to see Swift but also explore a city she hadn’t yet visited. Sena initially considered attending the Eras tour in Warsaw, Poland, last week but chose Vienna because it seemed safer. She lets out a laugh at the irony of the statement. “I came here by myself,” she says. “It’s super safe, but danger doesn’t know boundaries. When people have you targeted, it does not matter.”
As a Vienna native, Euler-Rolle can’t recall many times when he felt concerned about a threat of this level in the city. But the closest incident he can remember occurred just last year. In June 2023, Austrian authorities arrested three suspects allegedly connected to the extremist Islamic State group who were planning an attack on Vienna Pride. “Although I’m of the opinion that we shouldn’t be afraid and limit our lifestyle — because that’s exactly what they want — and we should still go to concerts like this, it feels scary that it almost happened,” Euler-Rolle says.
Swift has yet to publicly comment on the incident. Videos from the Vienna gathering are being tagged on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok with the hashtag #WeLoveYouTaylor.
In the meantime, Swifties are coming together to overcome fear and find community. “I feel thankful to be in such a loving and strong community that does not get intimidated by what happened. I think this is a powerful message to send out to the world: we won‘t change ourselves or what matters to us, we won’t change our values and our favorite artist,” Euler-Rolle adds. “We won’t let this discourage us. We show the world that we come back stronger in unity and love by supporting each other through these tough times.”
From Rolling Stone US
