Two individuals were arrested in connection with an alleged bomb attack plot targeting Lady Gaga‘s free concert on Copacabana Beach, Brazilian Civil Police confirmed.
The suspects — one adult male detained in Rio Grande do Sul and a teenager arrested in Rio de Janeiro — are both reported fans of Lady Gaga and were allegedly planning to use improvised explosives, including Molotov cocktails, authorities said. No explosives were found during the operation, according to police.
Authorities say the two are part of an online group that promotes hate speech and attempts to recruit other teenagers while encouraging acts of violence. One of the suspects was also found in possession of child pornography, police allege.
The arrests were part of Operation Fake Monsters, a joint investigation led by the Brazilian Justice Ministry, Federal Police, and digital intelligence services. The operation aimed to preempt any threat ahead of the singer’s historic performance on Saturday night, which drew over two million fans to Rio’s iconic beachfront.
Despite the threat, the concert proceeded without incident.
The civil police in Rio de Janeiro released a heavily produced video Sunday detailing the police operation, which involved executing search warrants in several cities including Rio, Niterói, Duque de Caxias, and Macaé.
“Those involved in virtually recruiting participants to carry out attacks using improvised explosives were identified — the plan aimed to gain notoriety on social media,” the civil police said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Lady Gaga said the singer and her team did not know about the operation until Sunday.
“We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning,” the statement said. “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. Her team worked closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert and all parties were confident in the safety measures in place.”
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