Bomb Plot Foiled at Lady Gaga’s Historic Rio Concert, 2 Arrested Amid Crowd of 2 Million

Rio de Janeiro ,  May 4, 2025 , Brazilian police have arrested two suspects in connection with a foiled bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga’s record-breaking concert on Copacabana Beach, where more than 2 million fans gathered Saturday night.

Authorities say the suspects were part of a radical group spreading anti-LGBTQ hate speech and attempting to recruit teens online to carry out violent attacks using Molotov cocktails and improvised explosives. The plot, described as a “collective challenge” for social media notoriety, was intercepted in a joint operation by Rio police and the Justice Ministry.

One suspect, the alleged ringleader, was arrested in southern Brazil for illegal weapons possession. A second, a teenager, was detained in Rio on child pornography charges.

Despite the chilling plot, the concert, the largest of Lady Gaga’s career, went off without incident. “Tonight, we’re making history,” Gaga told the ecstatic crowd. Her team said they were unaware of any active threats and had worked closely with police on security.

The city-funded event is expected to inject over $100 million into Rio’s economy and serve as the pop icon’s launchpad for her upcoming “Mayhem Ball” tour.