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According to Brazilian authorities, they prevented an alleged bombing plot that was reportedly scheduled for Saturday, May 3, Lady Gaga's performance on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach. Two individuals were taken into custody on suspicion of organizing the attack.
On Sunday, May 4, police claimed that the suspects were reportedly targeting LGBTQ+ individuals. According to a May 4 report, the two allegedly attempted to use improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails to carry out coordinated attacks at Saturday's performance. The intended victims reportedly included teenagers as well.
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According to the authorities, the motive of the plan was to become well-known on social media. A teenager and the alleged person behind the scheme were taken into custody. The BBC reported on May 5 that Lady Gaga's team became aware of the bomb threat the morning after the performance. The concert, which was free to attend, drew nearly two million people.
Terrorists, who had planned to bomb Lady Gaga’s concert, were caught
According to Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security, those arrested reportedly tried to recruit individuals online. They needed those recruits to carry out the coordinated attacks by posing as "Little Monsters," the nickname given to Lady Gaga fans. In response, the police named their strategy to foil the bomb plot as "Operation Fake Monster."
According to a report published by the BBC on May 4, 2025, one teenager involved in the attempted attack was arrested for allegedly possessing child p*rnography, while the group's purported leader was apprehended for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
The authorities additionally reported that those involved had been promoting violent content and encouraged self-harm among minors "as a form of belonging and challenge among young people" as part of their radicalisation.
On the same day, a representative for Lady Gaga told The Hollywood Reporter about the attack:
"We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning. 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."
Electronic devices and other materials were taken when police executed search warrants in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo.
Furthermore, a report by CNN, on May 4, 2025, stated that a third individual was allegedly charged with terrorism offenses by Brazilian Police. The suspect had reportedly intended to perform a “satanic ritual by killing a child or a baby” at the event. The charges followed police searches at nine addresses across the country.
According to police, cited by AP news on May 5, 2025, the suspects' primary goal was to target LGBTQ+ attendees of the concert. Gaga has a strong commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. As per the authorities, the suspects belonged to an online hate group that sought to radicalise youth.
They also reportedly encouraged "the dissemination of hate crimes, self-harm, pa*dophilia, and violent content." BBC reported that 5,000 officers were sent in for a major security operation at the Lady Gaga concert. The attendees had to go through metal detectors. Facial recognition cameras and drones were used to monitor the event.
On a different note, as per movin925’s May 5 report, Lady Gaga set a new record for the most attended concert by a female artist ever on Saturday when she performed for an estimated record 2.5 million people.
On Instagram, addressing the same, she wrote that:
“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. The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away…”
Gaga further wrote about her feelings of "absolute pride and joy" throughout the performance and said:
“I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world—I know I can’t, but I can say this—if you lose your way, you can find your way back if you believe in yourself and work hard.”
She continued:
“You can give yourself dignity by rehearsing your passion and your craft, pushing yourself to new heights— you can lift yourself up even if it takes some time.”
Meanwhile, the arrested suspects haven’t said anything about the attack as of yet.
