A Toronto resident who travelled to Vienna to see Taylor Swift is "heartbroken" that the Eras Tour concerts in the Austrian capital were cancelled but says she understands the decision.
"I was really heartbroken for everybody. Anyone coming to Vienna or anyone in Vienna for this concert was coming with a complete love for Taylor," Ariella Kimmel told CTV News Toronto on Wednesday night.
"It is devastating to know that this got cancelled and the reason why."
Swift was scheduled to play at the Ernst Happel Stadium for three sold-out nights starting on Thursday, but on Wednesday, organizers cancelled the shows after Austrian authorities arrested two suspected extremists, one of whom they alleged appeared to be planning an attack on an event in the Vienna area.
The organizer, Barracuda Music, said in a post on its Instagram that "we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety," citing officials' "confirmation of a planned attack at the stadium."
Kimmel recounted that she and her friends were at a restaurant outside Vienna when they heard about the news. She said that when they got back to their hotel, her friend who bought the tickets got an email confirming that the concert had been cancelled and that a refund would be available.
"They didn't give the exact reason. They just kind of gave a very broad overview of due to circumstances," said Kimmel, who had been preparing the whole day for the concert.
She noted that earlier, she had met Canadians and other Swift fans from all over the world who had travelled to Vienna for the Eras Tour. "People are coming in from everywhere to see Taylor," Kimmel said.
While she was sad that the concert wouldn't be happening, the Toronto resident was "grateful" that organizers were thinking about everyone's safety.
"I think tomorrow we'll be out and about, and I think it will be a different mood. Obviously, this is very real and significant. This isn't something to take lightly," she said.
Kimmel and her friend were able to get tickets to the Vienna concerts through a lottery. In addition to seeing her favourite singer, the Toronto resident had another reason why she wanted to go to the Austrian capital.
"Actually, my grandmother is originally from Vienna, and so when we got in through that lottery, I really wanted to come here," Kimmel said.
"It is a special connection for me to be able to be in the place where she was born, so that's really why we decided to do it."
Swift has not publicly commented on the cancellation.
The European leg of the Eras Tour is set to conclude in London next weekend with five shows at Wembley Stadium. Swift is scheduled to play in Toronto in November for six sold-out nights at Rogers Centre.
With files from The Associated Press
