Lady Gaga’s record-breaking concert in Rio de Janeiro, attended by over 2 million fans, was nearly disrupted by a violent extremist plot.
The concert, which marked Gaga’s first in Brazil since 2012, was targeted by a group with alleged anti-LGBTQ motives.
Authorities uncovered the plot after launching raids across multiple states, arresting three individuals involved in the scheme. The group had planned attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails. As one police spokesperson explained, “The plot was said to involve attacks with improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails,” although no explosives were discovered during the raids.
One of the group’s leaders was apprehended in Rio Grande do Sul for illegal weapons possession. In Rio de Janeiro, a teenager was detained for possessing child sexual abuse material, while another individual was arrested for plotting a child’s murder as part of a satanic ritual. Authorities believe the group was actively recruiting young people online, posing as Gaga fans.
Sociologist Cynthia Miller-Idriss, who specialises in extremism, told Rolling Stone that the group’s tactics resembled those of other violent extremist organisations. She emphasised that youth extremism is on the rise, especially among “a generation that feels increasingly apathetic and immune to the horrors of violence because they’ve been exposed to so much of it.” These groups often target vulnerable adolescents online, feeding them disturbing content and recruiting them into violent ideologies.
Experts warn that online radicalisation is becoming a global concern, with young people being manipulated through platforms like Discord and Twitch. “The question is, what is that nihilism being used toward?” Miller-Idriss added, highlighting the dangerous potential of these online networks. Authorities are focused on combating the rise of violent extremist groups preying on young, vulnerable individuals.
Gaga is also set to return to Australia for her first stadium shows in the country, including newly added dates in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney (see full dates here). Her chart-topping album Mayhem is her fifth straight #1 in Australia.
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