Police thwart bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's massive Rio concert

BOGOTA, Colombia

Brazilian authorities said on Sunday that they foiled a bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga’s concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which drew more than 2 million people Saturday night.

Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Police and the Justice Ministry said the planned attack was allegedly organized by a group known for spreading hate speech against children and teenagers.

Investigators said the group also promoted teenage radicalization, self-harm, and violent content, including material related to pedophilia and hate crimes.

The investigation revealed the plan was reportedly framed as a social media challenge, with organizers recruiting participants, including teenagers, to execute the attacks.

Operation Fake Monster, a name referencing Lady Gaga's "little monsters" fanbase, led to raids in several Brazilian cities, including Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where a man and a teenager were arrested and electronic devices and other materials were seized.

The suspects allegedly planned to use improvised explosive devices and Molotov cocktails to attack the event.

Saturday’s concert was part of a promotional tour for Lady Gaga’s upcoming eighth studio album, Mayhem, which includes songs such as “Abracadabra” and “Die with a Smile.”

The show, described as the largest of the singer’s career, was funded by the city of Rio de Janeiro as part of an economic revitalization campaign.

This marked Lady Gaga's first performance in Brazil since 2012 after a planned 2017 appearance was cancelled due to health issues.

“You waited more than 10 years for me. You might be wondering why it took so long to come back, but the truth is, I was healing. I was getting stronger," the singer told fans in Copacabana.

Lady Gaga is not the first major artist to perform a free concert in Rio. Madonna delivered a similar city-funded concert on the same beach in May 2024.