Attack thwarted at Rio de Janeiro concert of famous pop star

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, law enforcement authorities in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, successfully thwarted an attack during a concert by popular pop star Lady Gaga. Officers conducted a joint operation against a group that was spreading hate speech and preparing a plan, primarily targeting children, adolescents, and the LGBTQIA+ community, operating on digital platforms and promoting youth radicalisation, the spread of hate crimes, and other violent content. According to the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police, the individuals were responsible for recruiting participants, some of whom were juveniles, to carry out attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and Molotov cocktails. The plan was conceived by the criminals as a ‘collective challenge’ to gain notoriety on social media. During the joint operation, a total of 15 search and seizure warrants were executed against nine targets in the following municipalities: Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Duque de Caxias and Macaé, in Rio; Cotia, San Vicente and Vargem Grande Paulista, in São Paulo; São Sebastião do Cai, in Rio Grande do Sul; and Campo Novo do Parecis, in Mato Grosso. Following the execution of a search warrant in Macaé, an individual was arrested. This individual had been planning terrorist attacks. As part of the ongoing investigation, several electronic devices and other materials were seized and are being analysed by the relevant investigators.