Brazilian authorities foil Bomb Plot at Lady Gaga 's historic Copacabana concert
A bomb assault that was supposed to take place at Lady Gaga 's largest-ever concert, which took place on Saturday at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, was foiled by the Brazilian police. The concert was attended by nearly 2 million people.
According to the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro state, who worked in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, the conspiracy was connected to a group that encourages hate speech and radicalizes adolescents.
It has been alleged that the group promotes self-harm and violent content as a means of achieving a sense of social belonging.
Aerial view of US pop star Lady Gaga (Photo by Daniel RAMALHO / AFP)
"The suspects were recruiting participants, including minors, to carry out coordinated attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails," according to a statement released by the authorities.
According to the Rio city hall, there were 2.1 million people who attended the concert of the American pop icon, an event for which tickets were provided at no cost.
According to Brazil's Ministry of Justice, the group called itself "Little Monsters" and identified themselves as part of Lady Gaga's worldwide fan base.
A report from the Cyber Operation Lab of the Ministry of Justice was used to unearth the plan, according to the police, who stated that they worked together with the Ministry of Justice.
US pop star Lady Gaga (Photo by Pablo PORCIUNCULA / AFP)
The laboratory investigated a tip that was received from the intelligence division of the Rio state police, which led to the discovery of digital cells that encouraged violent behavior among adolescents.
Officers in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, located in the southern region of Brazil, are said to have taken into custody a guy who is believed to be the leader of the organization for illegal possession of a firearm.
In addition, a young person in Rio de Janeiro has been taken into custody for the storage of child pornography.
The open concert started at approximately 9:45 p.m. local time, as it had been scheduled, and there were no delays in its opening.
At some point during the performance, Lady Gaga addressed the audience and said, "Tonight, we are making history." I am grateful to you for being a part of my history."
In order to gain access to the beach in advance of the event, fans had started forming lines as early as the following morning.
There was a need for a massive security presence, which included 5,000 law enforcement agents.
Metal detectors were also required to be passed through by attendees.
Both facial recognition cameras and drones were utilized by the police to assist in maintaining the event's safety and security.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Roya News
04-07-2025
- Roya News
Massive gas station explosion in Rome injures 45
An early morning explosion rocked the eastern outskirts of Rome on Friday, leaving 45 people injured, two of them critically, after a gas leak at a fuel station triggered a massive blast that was heard miles away across the Italian capital. The explosion occurred at approximately 8:20 AM local time in the Prenestino neighborhood. Officials said it was preceded by a fire sparked during the refueling process at a facility supplying both petrol and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, who visited the site later in the day, described scenes of destruction at the fuel station and a nearby sports center. Charred remains and thick black smoke marked the aftermath of a blast that sent a fireball into the sky and rattled windows across Rome. 'The explosion was really powerful. I felt my skin burning,' said 23-year-old Michele Secu, who had been working at the adjacent sports facility. 'I was 15 meters from the petrol station... it exploded in front of me. I don't know how I managed to run, to escape.' Emergency crews had already been deployed to the scene prior to the explosion after a gas leak was reported. Quick action by responders ensured the evacuation of nearby buildings, including a children's summer camp, potentially averting a larger tragedy. Of the 45 people hurt, 21 were emergency responders, including 12 police officers, Rome police told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Local health officials said two victims remain in life-threatening condition, one of whom suffered burns over more than half of his body. Fabio Balzani, the director of the sports center next to the explosion site, reflected on the narrow escape. 'It would have been a massacre, a catastrophe,' he said, noting that some 60 children were expected for the day's summer camp and another 120 individuals were booked to use the swimming pool amid an ongoing heatwave. Andrea Quattrocchi, commander of the local Carabinieri unit, praised his team's swift response, saying they managed to pull one person from a burning car before rushing them to the hospital. Eyewitnesses also reported that an ambulance was destroyed in the fire. Authorities believe the explosion was caused by a BLEVE, a boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion, linked to the LNG system. 'The effect is as if a bomb has gone off,' said Ennio Aquilino, head of the Lazio regional fire service.
Roya News
03-07-2025
- Roya News
Kilmar Ábrego García claims psychological, physical torture in Salvadoran prison
Kilmar Ábrego García, a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned in one of the country's most infamous detention centers, is alleging severe abuse and mistreatment during his time behind bars, according to newly filed court documents. Ábrego García, 29, was deported in March despite a prior court ruling granting him protection from removal due to potential threats from gangs in his native country. Almost immediately upon arrival, he was taken to the CECOT prison, a high-security facility known for its harsh conditions, where his attorneys now say he was subjected to 'severe beatings' and 'torture' at the hands of guards. The claims are part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Ábrego García's wife against the Trump administration, which oversaw his deportation. Although US officials had previously labeled him an MS-13 gang member, an allegation his legal team and relatives vehemently deny, he was extradited back to the United States in June to face unrelated human trafficking charges. He has pleaded not guilty. According to the newly filed complaint, Ábrego García and 20 other men deported from the US were held in inhumane conditions at CECOT. The document describes windowless, overcrowded cells, constant fluorescent lighting, and no mattresses, only metal bunks. Sanitation access was limited, and detainees were allegedly forced to kneel overnight for hours, with guards beating anyone who collapsed from fatigue. Ábrego García claims guards also threatened to throw him into a cell with gang members who would 'tear' him apart. Within two weeks, he had reportedly lost 30 pounds due to the harsh conditions. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, who has boasted of reforming the country's prison system, has insisted his facilities are 'clean, orderly, free from abuses, unsanitary conditions, beatings, or murders.' But international watchdogs and rights groups have raised concerns about the country's mass incarceration policies and detention practices. President Bukele had previously voiced support for President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement agenda during a visit to the White House earlier this year. US officials later acknowledged that Ábrego García's deportation had been an error. A federal judge in Maryland ordered the government to take steps to bring him back, but initial White House resistance delayed the process. Back in the US, Ábrego García is being held in Tennessee, where a federal judge recently ruled he is eligible for release. However, his legal team has opted to keep him in custody for now, fearing he could be deported again if released. 'This is what American justice looks like,' said Attorney General Pam Bondi following his return, a statement that drew sharp criticism from human rights advocates, who argue Ábrego García's experience is a clear example of systemic failure. His lawyers have described the trafficking accusations against him as 'preposterous,' and continue to pursue legal accountability for what they call an unlawful and dangerous deportation. Ábrego García first entered the US in 2011 and was granted protection from deportation by an immigration judge in 2019. His case has since become a flashpoint in the debate over immigration policy, deportation procedures, and detainee rights under both current and former administrations.
Roya News
03-07-2025
- Roya News
US contractors in Gaza use live ammo, stun grenades at aid centers: Report
American contractors hired to secure aid distribution points in Gaza have been reported to use live ammunition and stun grenades against desperate Palestinians seeking food, according to testimonies and videos obtained by The Associated Press (AP). The accounts reveal alarming security practices at sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US-backed group distributing food in the besieged Gaza Strip. Two contractors, speaking anonymously to the AP due to fear of employer retaliation, described a security force that was often untrained, heavily armed, and acting with apparent impunity. 'There are innocent people being hurt. Badly. Needlessly,' said one contractor, who recounted witnessing live rounds fired into the air, at the ground, and sometimes in the direction of Palestinians. He recalled at least one occasion where a person appeared to be struck. Videos from the aid sites show crowds of Palestinians packed behind metal barriers, jostling amid sounds of gunfire, stun grenades, and pepper spray. Audio recordings capture English-speaking contractors discussing crowd control strategies and reacting enthusiastically after bursts of gunfire. One video shows security personnel firing multiple rounds seemingly to disperse crowds even as people walk away with food. The contractors allege that aid seekers are monitored closely, with suspicious individuals documented and their details shared with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Cameras equipped with facial recognition technology reportedly stream live footage to control rooms operated jointly by American analysts and IOF soldiers near the Karam Abu Salem crossing. Contractors also claimed they were instructed to photograph anyone who looked 'out of place,' although the criteria for suspicion were unclear. GHF, established in February and registered in Delaware, began distributing aid in Gaza in late May with a pledge of USD 30 million in US funding. The organization claims to have provided over 50 million meals and insists it employs experienced humanitarian and security staff who engage compassionately with Gaza's population. However, Gaza faces a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. Since the outbreak of aggression in October 2023, the IOF's operations have devastated the territory, and Gaza's two million residents are at the brink of famine. Before GHF's intervention, 'Israel' blocked all food, water, and medicine into Gaza for over two months, citing concerns that Hamas was diverting aid. Palestinians seeking aid at GHF sites have been caught in deadly crossfire. Gaza's Health Ministry reports hundreds killed or wounded near distribution points, with the IOF acknowledging civilian casualties but denying deliberate targeting and promising investigations. A spokesperson for Safe Reach Solutions (SRS), the logistics subcontractor for GHF security, denied serious injuries had occurred and described the use of live rounds as warning shots fired into the ground for crowd control during desperate moments. They stressed that the environment at the sites is controlled and secure. The contractors told the AP that security personnel were hastily recruited, often days before deployment, without adequate training or weapons handling tests. Initial rules of engagement allowing use of force were issued only after distributions began. Contractors carried pistols, stun grenades, tear gas, and 'Israeli' automatic rifles capable of rapid fire. Internal communications reveal growing concerns about understaffing, poor organization, and unsafe conditions at the sites. One email from a senior contractor described the operation as 'amateur hour' and 'not sustainable.' The situation remains fraught as Gaza's population continues to face starvation amid ongoing aggression. The contractors warned that without changes, innocent civilians seeking aid risk further injury or death. 'If operations continue in this manner, innocent aid seekers will continue to be needlessly injured,' one contractor said. 'And possibly killed.'
