Alleged Taylor Swift stalker arrested in Germany ahead of Eras show
BERLIN — German police detained a U.S. man suspected of stalking Taylor Swift and making threats against her and her partner on social media as he was trying to go to the mega pop star's concert in the western city of Gelsenkirchen, they said on Thursday.
The 34-year-old man, who had a ticket, was identified and taken into custody at the entry control point to the venue before the concert on Wednesday after initial investigations could not rule out that he posed a threat, said police.
He had attracted attention by making threats against Swift and her partner, Travis Kelce, online, they said, but neither the singer nor concertgoers had been in danger at any time.
A court ordered the man to be held through Saturday.
The concert on Wednesday was one of three in Gelsenkirchen planned by the singer on her massively successful Eras Tour, which attracted 60,000 fans, affectionately known as Swifties, who sang, danced and celebrated in costumes, said police.
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Swift has seven total shows in Germany over the next two weeks with shows in Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg and Munich. She will wrap up the European leg of the Eras Tour in August performing five nights in London.
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During her concert on Wednesday, fans noticed Kelce in a dark tee and white cap watching the Eras Tour from a suite inside the Veltins-Arena.
The Gelsenkirchen, Germany, appearance is the Kansas City tight end's 12th since he and Swift went public last September. He attended his first concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, followed by Sydney, two nights in Singapore, the final night in Paris, all three nights in London, one night in Dublin and two nights in Amsterdam.
After carrying Swift during her "Tortured Poets" set on the final night in London, the football player said on his "New Heights" podcast with older brother Jason, "You guys will have to keep showing up to the Eras Tour to see if I pop out of the stage or whatnot."
Contributing: Bryan West, USA TODAY Network