Lady Gaga had no idea there was an alleged plan to detonate explosives at her Brazil concert.
A spokesperson for the pop star said her team worked closely with local law enforcement in planning and executing the free concert, which drew 2.5 million fans to the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.
But nobody bothered to tell her when there was a threat to the event—which she found out about via media reports.
“We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning,” her team said, according to Variety. “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… All parties were confident in the safety measures in place.”
Brazilian police said in a press conference on Sunday that it kept mum about the alleged bombing plot to “avoid panic” and “the distortion of information.”
The Associated Press reported that two people were arrested in connection with the plan to set off improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails at the concert.
A group that aligned itself with Lady Gaga’s fanbase, who call themselves “Little Monsters,” reportedly tried to recruit and radicalize participants for a coordinated attack.
Rio police secretary Felipe Cury said authorities believe that the suspects wanted to target the LGBTQ community, many of whom hail Lady Gaga’s songs as their anthem.
“They were clearly saying that they were planning an attack at Lady Gaga’s concert motivated by sexual orientation,” Cury said.
Lady Gaga effusively thanked her fans in a lengthy Instagram post after the concert.
“Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show—the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil,” she wrote. “The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away. Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.”
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