Taylor Swift's Wembley run WILL go ahead claims Sadiq Khan, despite police saying they are risk assessing them after foiled Vienna terror attack
Taylor Swift's run of concerts in London will go ahead later this month, Mayor Sadiq Khan has said, despite ongoing risk assessments following the foiled planned terror attack at the singer's shows in Vienna.
The UK's Policing Minister this morning said a risk assessment will be conducted ahead of Taylor Swift's return to decide whether her five concerts will go ahead.
But Mr Khan told Sky News on Thursday that London is 'looking forward to welcoming Taylor Swift back' as the capital is 'an international city' that regularly hosts major events.
He added: 'We have a huge amount of experience in policing these events, we're never complacent, many lessons were learned after the awful Manchester Arena attack.
'The police work closely, not just with City Hall, but with councils, but also with those who host concerts, like the Taylor Swift concert coming up over the next couple of weeks.'
He added: 'I'm sure Vienna has got its own reasons to cancel the Taylor Swift concerts, we're going to carry on, working closely with police [and] ensuring that the Taylor Swift concerts can take place in London safely.'
Swift was set to perform at the Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Pictured in London)
Taylor Swift performs in London on tour earlier this year - she has another five shows scheduled at Wembley
Austrian police arrested two people over an alleged terror plot at the Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna, where Swift had been due to perform
Scotland Yard will examine potential risks ahead of time but said there is currently not 'anything of note' in terms of threats to the concerts.
It comes after the US singer's three performances in Austria, scheduled to begin tonight, were cancelled over an apparent ISIS plot to launch a terrorist attack at her concert venue in the city.
Swift was set to perform at the Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and is next due to play five dates at London's Wembley Stadium between Thursday August 15 and Tuesday August 20.
Policing minister Diana Johnson this morning said Scotland Yard will look at 'all the intelligence' ahead of Taylor Swift returning to the UK for a series of concerts.
When asked on LBC radio about the arrests of suspected extremists in Vienna and what this could mean for the final leg of Swift's UK tour, Ms Johnson said: 'Clearly, the police will be looking at all the intelligence and making decisions, they risk assess every event that happens in this country, and that's something for the police.
'Can I also just say there is, of course, a commitment in our manifesto in the General Election to introduce Martyn's law, which, again, is about making sure that those ... venues which could be subject to terrorist attack have in place everything that they need in terms of keeping people safe, and that will be brought forward by the government shortly.'
The Metropolitan Police said there are no reports of 'anything of note', regarding Swift, and the force would keep people updated.
On Instagram on Wednesday, Austrian event organiser Barracuda Music wrote that 'we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety' as there had been 'confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium'.
A 19-year-old suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and a second person, aged 17, was detained in the Austrian capital. A 15-year-old was also detained and questioned by the police.
At a press conference on Thursday morning, an intelligence official said the 17-year-old was known to authorities but gave no other details.
The Metropolitan Police said there are no reports of 'anything of note', regarding Swift
Workers remove barriers in front of the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, Austria after the concerts were cancelled
Police vehicles were photographed outside the Ernst Happel stadium on Thursday
Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria's interior ministry, said authorities were aware of 'preparatory actions' for a possible attack 'and also that there is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna'.
Mr Ruf said the 19-year-old had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Authorities confirmed he had been preparing explosives and chemical substances were secured at his home, as well as components to manufacture dynamite.
When questioned by police, the 19-year-old told officers he planned to stab as many people as possible before detonating a suicide bomb outside the venue, a press conference was told.
Police are not seeking any other suspects, but confirmed one of those arrested was hired as a security guard at the stadium for the concerts.
Barracuda Music said that 'all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days'.
Austrian media reported the suspects' plans included driving a car into a group of revellers outside the venue before attacking with machetes and knives, as investigators also conducted tests on chemicals found at the teen suspect's property amid fears he was planning to make an explosive.
Kurier also cited several sources who claimed friends of the suspects scooped jobs as security guards at the concert, suggesting they could have facilitated the attack.
Martyn's Law is named after 2017 Manchester Arena bombing victim Martyn Hett, and is designed to help protect venues against terror attacks. It was part of the new Labour Government's first King's Speech. The speech to Parliament sets out the programme for legislation for the Government.
In July, there was a fatal knife attack on three girls, aged six, seven and nine, at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport, which sparked riots throughout the UK.
Swift said she was in 'completely in shock' following the deaths at the children's event.
A suspect has appeared in court charged with the crime.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city will 'carry on' as the host of Taylor Swift's Wembley concerts later this month
A Met Police spokesperson said: 'London plays hosts to a significant number of very high profile events each year with millions of visitors having a safe and enjoyable experience.
'The Met works closely with venue security teams and other partners to ensure there are appropriate security and policing plans in place.
'There is nothing to indicate that the matters being investigated by the Austrian authorities will have an impact on upcoming events here in London.
'As always, we will continue to keep any new information under careful review.'
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the city will 'carry on' as the host of Taylor Swift's Wembley concerts later this month.
When asked about the events in Austria, Mr Khan told Sky New: 'We are a capital city, we are an international city, on a regular basis we host major events, whether it's concerts - Bruce Springsteen was most recently at Wembley Stadium - we're looking forward to welcoming Taylor Swift back.
'I'm currently at (Chelsea's football stadium) Stamford Bridge. Every other week there's a game taking place. We have a huge amount of experience in policing these events, we're never complacent, many lessons were learnt after the awful Manchester Arena attack.
'The police work closely, not just with City Hall, but with councils, but also with those who host concerts, like the Taylor Swift concert coming up over the next couple of weeks.
'I'm sure Vienna has got its own reasons to cancel the Taylor Swift concerts, we're going to carry on, working closely with police (and) ensuring that the Taylor Swift concerts can take place in London safely.
Swift had thanked Poland's Warsaw audiences for giving her 'the best time', and said she could not 'believe we have two cities left on the European leg of The Eras Tour', before the cancellations in Austria.
The 34-year-old singer added: 'It's truly flown by. See you soon Vienna.'
The Home Office declined to comment.
