'They'll never take this away from us': Watch as Taylor Swift fans gather in Vienna to sing and swap bracelets

Taylor Swift’s record breaking Eras Tour was cancelled this week after a plot to attack the stadium was foiled by police.

Both suspects appear to have been inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group and al Qaida, Austrian authorities said on Thursday.

Investigators found bomb-making materials at one of the suspect's homes, and officials said one of the pair confessed to planning to "kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue".

Three sold-out concerts on the US singer's Eras Tour were cancelled on Wednesday because of the plot, devastating Swifties from across the globe.

Gathering in the streets

Despite the heartbreak and fear, Swifties soon began gathering in the streets of Vienna, singing and dancing along with Taylor Swifts songs, sharing friendship bracelets with many chanting “they'll never take this away from us” and “we are not afraid.”

The fans could be found on Corneliusgasse - a small street just three miles from the stadium.

They gathered here because the street name echoes Cornelia Street, the name of a contemplative synth-pop track from Swift's 2019 album, Lover.

The title refers to a street in New York City's Greenwich Village , where Swift rented a luxury apartment in 2016 and fans now visit to take selfies.

"And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends," she sings in the song's chorus. "I'd never walk Cornelia Street again."

Fans clapped, danced and cheered as they belted out some of her songs and took selfies with each other.

Some were upbeat, while others overcome by emotions as they hugged and cried, saying they were heartbroken.

Swifties fixed bracelets on trees in the city centre. One police officer had his uniform decorated with bracelets.

Read more: I went to the Eras Tour and the only thing more impressive than Taylor Swift was her Swifties

The singing went into the night as the group grew and grew, recreating the concert together. There was even a Love Story proposal - a staple of the live shows as many couples have got down on one knee during that part of the concert.

Many fans had spent thousands of euros on travel and lodging in Austria's expensive capital city to attend the shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium , which was deserted on Thursday morning, apart from media filming outside.

Vienna opened their doors to the disappointed and shaken fans, with businesses giving away free food and drink to those with tickets, tourist attractions allowing free entry and even jewellery shops giving away free gifts to fans to lift their spirits.

Sold out concert

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted on X that "the cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts by the organisers is a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria ".

"The situation surrounding the apparently planned terror attack in Vienna was very serious," he wrote.

But he added that, thanks to intensive co-operation between police and Austrian and foreign intelligence, "the threat could be recognised early on, tackled and a tragedy prevented".

Barracuda Music said "all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days". The same wording was posted under the Vienna dates on Swift's official website.

The Vienna stadium had been sold out for the planned concerts, APA reported, with an estimated 170,000 fans expected at the Austrian shows.

Eras Tour in London - and another ticket exchange

Taylor Swift is expected to play five concerts at London's Wembley Stadium between August 15 and 20 to close the European leg of the record-setting Eras Tour, and the internet has been flooded with fans offering their tickets to those who were meant to be seeing Taylor this weekend.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan says the UK's capital will "carry on" with hosting Taylor Swift concerts, saying he is "looking forward to welcoming Taylor Swift back" as the capital is "an international city" that regularly hosts major events.

Read more: 70,000 people can now say 'I was there' when Taylor Swift stepped out at Murrayfield and I was one of them

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."