RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian authorities said Sunday that two individuals were arrested in connection with an alleged plot to carry out a bomb attack at Lady Gaga’s record-breaking concert on Copacabana Beach, which drew an estimated 2.5 million fans in what became the pop icon’s largest performance to date.
Police said the suspects, one of whom was a teenager, were believed to be planning attacks using homemade explosives and Molotov cocktails, motivated in part by anti-LGBTQ sentiment. Authorities conducted coordinated raids in multiple states prior to the show, seizing electronic equipment but reportedly no explosive materials.
Felipe Cury, secretary of the Rio police, said during a Sunday press conference that the suspects had expressed clear intent to target Lady Gaga’s concert due to her outspoken support for the LGBTQ community. “They were clearly saying that they were planning an attack at Lady Gaga’s concert motivated by sexual orientation,” Cury stated.
Police Chief Luiz Lima added that the group spread hate speech online in an attempt to radicalize young people. “Most of their followers were teenagers, and even children,” he said. “They used violent, extremist content to lure vulnerable youth into their circle.”
Despite the arrests, Saturday’s concert unfolded without disruption. The event was heavily secured with a deployment of more than 5,200 military and police personnel along the beach. Lady Gaga performed fan favorites including “Born This Way,” which has long been embraced as a global LGBTQ anthem.
In the wake of the revelations, some questioned why no public warning was issued ahead of the show. Authorities said they intentionally withheld details to “avoid panic” and prevent “distortion of information” that could jeopardize the safety operation.
A spokesperson for Lady Gaga issued a statement saying the star and her team were not informed of the alleged threat ahead of time. “Her team worked closely with law enforcement throughout the planning and execution of the concert and all parties were confident in the safety measures in place,” the statement read.
One of the suspects, believed to be the group’s leader, was arrested in Rio Grande do Sul on illegal weapons charges. A second suspect — a minor — was detained in Rio de Janeiro for child pornography offenses. While police have not disclosed their precise roles in the alleged plot, officials said they were among 15 individuals targeted during simultaneous raids across multiple states. Phones and other devices were confiscated during the operation, which police described as part of an ongoing effort to neutralize extremist threats.
The Justice Ministry reported that the group posed “a risk to public order” and had posed online as fans of Lady Gaga — known collectively as “Little Monsters” — to attract impressionable teens into a network spreading violent and self-harming ideologies.
In one instance, authorities said a suspect in Macaé claimed religious motives and accused Lady Gaga of being “a Satanist.”
Lady Gaga has not publicly addressed the alleged bomb plot but took to Instagram after the concert to express gratitude to Brazilian fans. “Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show — the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil,” she wrote. “The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away.”
Her free concert came at a time when global ticket prices for major artists have surged dramatically, with fans paying hundreds of dollars for admission. Gaga’s Rio performance followed her recent set at the Coachella music festival in California, where tickets sold for over $600.
The concert marked another historic moment for Rio, echoing Madonna’s 2024 performance on the same beach, which attracted more than 1.6 million people.
