Lady Gaga Wasn’t Informed Of Terrorist Threat To LGBTQ Fans Before Her Concert For 2.5 Million In Rio

Baila Eve ZismanMay 5, 2025, 2:46 pmHome Featured, Homepage Slider, News >

Lady Gaga’s spokesperson revealed that the pop star first learned about the bomb threat at her free concert in Brazil from the media, not before the show, despite authorities learning of the potential attempt five days in advance.

On May 3, Gaga broke records performing to her biggest crowd yet in Rio de Janeiro, with an estimated 2.5 million people in attendance – making it the highest-attended concert for any female artist in history.

On May 4, a man and a teenager were arrested for threats of violence before the concert, a plot to target the ample LGBTQ community, which the singer is known for. The older man – allegedly the group’s leader – was arrested on charges of illegal weapons possession, and the teenager was arrested on child pornography charges. Police raided 15 different locations before finding the two.

In a press conference on May 4, the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro stated, “The suspects were recruiting participants, including minors, to carry out coordinated attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails…The plan was treated as a ‘collective challenge’ with the aim of gaining notoriety on social media.”

The police said in a statement, “Since Monday, our police and intelligence received information that there would be a plan in these digital platforms to commit a bomb attack with homemade explosive artifacts in Molotov cocktails which will be used during the show of the singer Lady Gaga on May 3, mainly targeting the LGBTQIA+ public.”

In a statement, Gaga’s spokesperson said, “We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning prior to and during the show, there were no known safety concerns, nor any communication from the police or authorities to Lady Gaga regarding any potential risks. 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.”

Gaga has long been a vocal advocate for gay rights, frequently risking arrest and political backlash for voicing her support. Studies have shown that 53% of American LGBTQ individuals consider Gaga to be a “gay icon.”

Gaga posted to Instagram following the concert, “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…your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.”

She continued, “An estimated 2.5 million people came to see me sing, the biggest crowd for any woman in history. I wish I could share this feeling with the whole world…I will never forget this moment.”