Brazilian Civil Police have arrested two individuals in connection with an alleged plot to bomb Lady Gaga’s free concert at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro.
The arrests, which took place ahead of the pop icon’s May 3 performance, were part of Operation Fake Monsters — a joint effort involving the Justice Ministry, Federal Police, and digital intelligence units.
Authorities confirmed that the suspects — an adult male from Rio Grande do Sul and a teenager from Rio — were both fans of Lady Gaga.
They were allegedly planning to use improvised explosives, including Molotov cocktails, though no actual devices were recovered during the operation.
According to investigators, the two were members of an online network that trafficked in hate speech, sought to incite violence, and recruited other teenagers for extremist acts. Police further revealed that one suspect was found in possession of child pornography.
Despite the chilling revelations, Lady Gaga’s historic performance — attended by more than two million fans — went on uninterrupted. The show concluded with a dazzling fireworks display, and no security incidents were reported.
Police said the suspects had hoped to gain social media notoriety through the planned attack. On Sunday, authorities released a video detailing the operation, which included search warrants executed across Rio de Janeiro, Niterói, Duque de Caxias, and Macaé.
In a statement, Lady Gaga’s team confirmed they were unaware of the plot until after the concert:
“We learned about this alleged threat via media reports this morning. There were no known safety concerns before or during the show. Her team worked closely with authorities and was confident in the security measures in place.”
Authorities have not ruled out further arrests as investigations continue.
