Brazilian police have stopped a planned bomb attack at American singer Lady Gaga’s free concert held at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
According to police reports, two people — an adult and a teenager — have been arrested in connection with the plot. The suspects were said to be planning to use homemade bombs during the concert, which attracted up to two million fans.
The Rio Civil Police, in partnership with Brazil’s Ministry of Justice, said the operation was named “Fake Monster,” a play on the name Gaga gives her fans — “Little Monsters.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the police said, “An adult responsible for the plan and a teenager were arrested for recruiting people online to carry out attacks using improvised explosives, just to gain attention on social media.”
Raids were carried out in Rio de Janeiro and in other states including Sao Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso to arrest those involved.
Lady Gaga’s concert is the second large-scale event hosted on Copacabana beach in one year. Last year, Madonna also performed at a show that drew over a million people.
Saturday’s concert had very high security, with over 5,000 officers on duty. Drones, surveillance equipment, and facial recognition cameras were also used to monitor the event and protect attendees.
Police said investigations are still ongoing.
