Police in Rio de Janeiro thwarted a bomb attack that was allegedly planned to target Lady Gaga's landmark concert at Copacabana Beach, which attracted a crowd of more than 2 million on Saturday. Official figures confirmed that around 2.1 million people attended the free performance by the American pop superstar.
Local police said that the plan was hatched by a group known for spreading hate speech and promoting youth radicalization, including violent content and self-harm as a misguided way to foster a sense of "social belonging." "The suspects were recruiting participants, including minors, to carry out coordinated attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails," the police said in a statement.
Big Tragedy Avoided
The Ministry of Justice said that the people responsible for the recruitment claimed to be part of Lady Gaga's worldwide fan community, commonly referred to as the 'Little Monsters.' The operation was based on a report by the Justice Ministry's Cyber Operations Lab, following a tip from Rio state police intelligence.
Investigators uncovered online groups using coded messages and extremist imagery to incite violent behavior among teens.
Authorities arrested a man believed to be the leader of the group in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul for illegally possessing a weapon. Meanwhile, a teenager in Rio de Janeiro was arrested for possessing child pornography.
Law enforcement carried more than a dozen search and seizure operations targeting 15 people in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. "The plan was treated as a 'collective challenge' with the aim of gaining notoriety on social media," police said.
The 39-year-old pop star's concert was funded by the city in a bid to give a boost to Rio's economy, with estimates suggesting it could generate close to $100 million in revenue.
"Tonight, we're making history. Thank you for making history with me," Lady Gaga told the ecstatic audience.
A Night to Remember
Known to fans as the Mother Monster, she kicked off the show around 10 p.m. local time with her 2011 hit "Bloody Mary." Cheers erupted from the massive crowd packed tightly on the beach, as fans sang and danced together on the sprawling sands.
Gaga delivered a set full of fan favorites, such as "Poker Face" and "Alejandro," and mesmerized the crowd with multiple dress changes, including an outfit in the colors of Brazil's flag.
Many devoted fans, especially younger ones, arrived at the beach early in the morning to claim prime viewing spots, coming prepared with food and drinks for the long wait.
Fans didn't mind the scorching sun throughout the day, with some even climbing trees to get a better view of the stage. Lady Gaga followed in the footsteps of pop legend Madonna, who held a record-breaking concert at the same venue last year, drawing 1.6 million fans. Gaga has now broken that record, performing for a crowd of 2.1 million.
Earlier, Gaga said she was excited, writing on X, writing: "It's a great honor to be asked to sing for Rio - for my whole career, the fans in Brazil have been part of the lifeblood of the little monsters.
"I've been dying to come perform for you for years and was heartbroken when I had to cancel years ago because I was hospitalized. Your understanding that I needed that time to heal meant the world to me."
