The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro said that suspects had recruited participants to attack the concert using improvised explosive devices with the goal of gaining notoriety.
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro said that suspects had recruited participants to attack the concert using improvised explosive devices with the goal of gaining notoriety. The person behind the plot and a teenager were both arrested.
Over two million people gathered to attend the free concert that took place on the famous Copacabana beach. The group behind the attack had allegedly been spreading hate speech online against children, adolescents, and the LGBT community, according to the BBC.
Authorities said one of the individuals behind the plan was detained in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul for illegal firearm possession. The teenager, meanwhile, was arrested in Rio on charges related to child pornography.
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro said the suspects had recruited others to help with the attack. Police believe the group spread hate speech online directed at minors and the LGBT community. Officials said the group also pushed teenagers toward radical behavior, including self-harm and violence, “as a form of belonging and challenge among young people.”
The suspects had reportedly been identified as fans of Lady Gaga, who refers to her fanbase as “Little Monsters,” according to the Brazilian justice ministry.
The planned attack targeted a free concert held on Copacabana Beach, which drew an estimated two million attendees. Police responded with major security measures—5,000 officers were deployed, and concertgoers passed through metal detectors. Drones and facial recognition systems were also used to monitor the crowd.
“Operation Fake Monster” was launched after intelligence gathered by Rio state police uncovered online groups using coded language and extremist symbols to encourage violence among teenagers. Following this, search warrants were carried out in four states: Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. Police seized electronics and other materials during the raids.
The concert was funded by Rio’s city government as part of efforts to boost the local economy, with officials estimating it could generate around $100 million.
Lady Gaga, who last performed in Brazil in 2012, was in Rio to promote her eighth studio album, Mayhem. She wore outfits inspired by Brazil’s national soccer team and addressed the crowd with emotion. “You waited for more than 10 years for me,” she said while holding a Brazilian flag.
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