Brazil Police Say Bombing Attempt Stopped At Lady Gaga Concert

Brazilian police thwarted a planned bomb attack targeting Lady Gaga’s free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night, which drew over 2 million attendees—the largest show of her career.

Police reported that the group aimed to harm "children, adolescents, and the LGBTQIA+ community." Two suspects were arrested in raids across multiple states: one alleged leader and a teenager charged with possessing child pornography. Authorities executed 15 search warrants, targeting nine individuals, and seized electronic devices and other materials.

The plot allegedly involved recruiting teenagers online to use improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails, framing the attack as a "collective challenge" for social media notoriety. Fans had flocked to the beach days earlier, eager to witness the stage setup and catch a glimpse of Gaga.

Lady Gaga’s team, speaking to The Associated Press, learned of the threat through media reports on Sunday, noting no prior safety concerns or police communication during the event. Gaga, in an Instagram post, called the concert a “historical moment,” thanking her “little monsters” and expressing gratitude to Rio.

Last year, Madonna’s free Copacabana concert attracted an estimated 1.6 million attendees.