Taylor Swift may now be able to put one of the most intense moments of her career behind her and finally move on from a potentially devastating event that was thankfully averted.
That’s because the trial related to three of the pop star’s “Eras Tour” concerts — which were meant to take place in the Austrian capital of Vienna in August 2024 — has ended, as the man who was charged in the incident has been sentenced.
He has also offered a short and simple apology.
The Man Was Given a Serious and Lengthy Sentence
Getty“An Austrian court on Thursday convicted a man of planning to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna nearly two years ago,” according to the Associated Press (AP). “He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.”
AP notes that “[t]he state court in Wiener Neustadt, south of the capital, found the 21-year-old defendant, an Austrian citizen known only as Beran A. in line with Austrian privacy rules, guilty on multiple charges including those related to the concert.”
“His defense attorney said Beran A. admitted to the charges related to the concert plot during the opening day of the trial last month,” AP reports, while also explaining that “Beran A. allegedly planned to target people outside the Ernst Happel Stadium…”
GettyWhen Beran A. had a chance to offer his final statement “to the court before it adjourned to consider a verdict on Thursday,” per AP, Beran A. said, “I would just like to say that I am sorry.”
Although Beran A.’s plan didn’t go ahead due to the fact that it “was thwarted,” per AP, the three Vienna concerts were canceled. “Tens of thousands of Taylor Swift fans, known as Swifties, had traveled to Austria to attend the performances of the American singer’s record-setting Eras Tour. Devastated by the cancellations, many gathered in central Vienna to trade friendship bracelets and commiserate.”
Taylor Shared a Message About the Incident
GettyFollowing the cancelation of Swift’s concerts in Vienna, she shared a message to her fans on Instagram, writing, “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.”
“But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” the singer wrote, adding, “I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together.”
GettySwift also noted, “My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”
She went on to say, “To the fans who have seen us this summer, you’ll always have the most sparkling place in my memories. You were a dream to perform for, dance with, and share those magical moments with. … Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime. May it continue… 💚💛💜❤️🩵🖤🩷🩶🤎💙🤍”
