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Brazilian authorities successfully foiled a bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's free concert at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which attracted a crowd of over two million people on Saturday. The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, in collaboration with the Justice Ministry, announced the arrests of two individuals – an adult identified as the plot's mastermind and a teenager – as part of "Operation Fake Monster," a title referencing the pop star's fanbase known as "Little Monsters."
Authorities stated the suspects had recruited participants online, including minors, to "carry out attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails" with the intention of gaining "notoriety on social media." Police revealed that the group was promoting hate speech against children, adolescents, and the LGBTQIA+ community, and encouraging the radicalisation of teenagers through violent and self-harm-related content.
"The plan was treated as a 'collective challenge' with the aim of gaining notoriety on social media," police said in an official statement. The adult suspect was arrested in Rio Grande do Sul for illegal possession of a firearm, while the teenager was detained in Rio de Janeiro for storing child pornography.
Search warrants were issued across multiple states, including Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Sao Paulo, and Rio Grande do Sul. Police seized several electronic devices during the raids. Authorities confirmed that the operation was launched following a tip-off from Rio state police intelligence and investigations carried out by the Justice Ministry's Cyber Operations Lab, which uncovered online groups encouraging violence through coded language and extremist symbols.
Security measures at the concert were extensive, with 5,000 officers deployed. Attendees passed through metal detectors, and drones and facial recognition technology were used to monitor the crowd. The concert, funded by the city as part of efforts to boost Rio's economy, was expected to generate up to $100 million in revenue.
Lady Gaga, returning to Brazil for the first time since 2012, performed in Brazil-themed outfits inspired by the national football team. Holding a Brazilian flag, she told the massive audience, "You waited for more than 10 years for me." Despite the threat, the event concluded safely, marking it as one of the largest concert gatherings in the country's history.
