Brazilian police said they prevented an explosion planned at Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, UNN reports, citing the BBC.
Details
The Civil Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, said that suspects recruited participants to commit attacks using improvised explosive devices, and the plan was aimed at gaining fame on social networks.
The person in charge of the plan and a teenager were arrested, police said on X.
The concert gathered more than two million people, the entrance to which was free.
Police said the group that planned the attack was spreading hate speech, mostly against children, teenagers and the LGBTQ+ community.
The alleged organizer was arrested for illegal possession of firearms in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, and a teenager was detained for possession of child pornography in Rio.
Those responsible also promoted the radicalization of adolescents, including self-harm.
The Ministry of Justice said that the suspects called themselves fans of Lady Gaga, widely known as "Little Monsters".
Police issued search warrants in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo, and electronic devices and other materials were seized.
"Operation Fake Monster" was launched after receiving information from the intelligence of the Rio State Police, which revealed online groups encouraging violence among teenagers using coded language and extremist symbols.
Let's add
The concert was paid for by the city in an attempt to revive Rio's economy and is expected to bring in $100 million (£75 million).
The large-scale security operation involved 5,000 personnel, and visitors had to pass through metal detectors. Drones and facial recognition cameras were also used to maintain order at the event.
Lady Gaga, who last performed in Brazil in 2012, took the stage as part of the tour in support of her eighth album Mayhem.
The singer wore Brazilian-themed costumes for some of her performances, as well as outfits inspired by the national football team.
"You've been waiting for me for more than 10 years," Lady Gaga said emotionally to the huge crowd, holding a Brazilian flag.
Two million people attended Lady Gaga's free concert in Brazil04.05.2025, 19:24 • [views_39304]