A group was planning an attack against the LGBTQ+ community at Lady Gaga's macro-concert in Rio de Janeiro
Lady Gaga has spoken out after the failed attack that, according to local police, was going to be carried out during his massive free concert last Saturday on the beach of Copacabana, a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. According to Brazilian authorities, a group dedicated to instigating hatred on social networks was planning to attack homemade explosives, in an attack aimed primarily at against the community LGTBIQ +.
The artist, who brought together more than two million people In what is already the biggest show of her career—a record for the concert with the largest attendance by a female artist in history—she expressed her dismay in a message of support to the threatened communities, especially the collective LGTBIQ +.
Music as a refuge
"Music should be a refuge, not a target of hate.", He said Gaga through his social networks where he also thanked the Brazilian police for their work and reiterated his commitment to inclusion and freedom of expression: “My heart goes out to all those who felt vulnerable or scared. We will continue to fight together for love and equality.".
The singer's team confirmed that the American only learned of the threat through the media after the event was over.Before and during the show, there were no known security issues, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga about potential risks. His team worked closely with law enforcement during the planning and execution of the concert, and all parties were confident in the safety measures implemented.", a spokesperson for the singer told the magazine The Hollywood Reporter.
Two detainees
Local police announced on Sunday, the day after the show, the arrest of two people allegedly involved in the plot, including the alleged leader and a teenager.Those involved were identified as individuals who virtually recruited participants to carry out attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails to gain notoriety on social media.", the police, who decided to keep the failed attack secret to avoid panic among the attendees, posted on their account X.
The Ministry of Justice of Brazil confirmed that the members of the group operated on social networks using fake profiles, in which they posed as members of the community of followers of Lady Gaga, known as "little monsters«. Precisely, the operation was called «Fake Monster", referring to the group's strategy of using the image of the followers of Lady Gaga as a front for their activities.
The prison order was issued by the judge Fabiana Pagel, who stressed the importance of the fight against hate speech "to build a more just, secure and democratic society”. The group of attackers, in addition to attempting to attack the singer's concert, also promoted hate speech through social media and encouraged the radicalization of young people.
