Brazil police thwart bomb attack on Lady Gaga concert

Brazilian police said they thwarted a bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday.

The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro state, in co-ordination with the justice ministry, said suspects had recruited participants to carry out attacks using improvised explosives and the plan was aimed at gaining notoriety on social media.

The person responsible for the plan and a teenager were arrested, the police said on X.

A crowd of more than two million people gathered for the concert, which was free to attend.

Police said the group that planned the attack had been spreading hate speech, mainly against children, adolescents and the LGBTQIA+ community.

The alleged mastermind was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, while the teenager was detained for storing child pornography in Rio.

Those responsible were also promoting the radicalisation of teenagers, including self-harm and violent content “as a form of belonging and challenge among young people”.