Ending its journey in Paris (France), Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour traveled to the city of Lisbon on May 24th. However, the first performance in Portugal didn’t kick off smoothly as fans had to wait longer than expected amidst scorching weather to enter Estádio da Luz stadium.
Prior to the concert, images captured long queues of fans outside the venue. According to announcements, gates were supposed to open for ticket-holding attendees at 4 p.m. However, there were reports that fans weren’t allowed inside until 4:45 p.m.
This delay left those who had been queuing for a long time increasingly frustrated, shouting at security personnel, “Let us in.”
The situation escalated further when 200 audience members broke down barriers, bypassed security gates, and entered the stadium, terrifying the security team.
“There was a lot of pushing and shoving. They broke down the fences. There were only two security guards outside so security forces had to be deployed to deal with the riotous fans. They started shouting, ‘Let us in, let us in.’ Fans were rioting due to the delay. People were pushing and shouting. The staff were quite worried, frightened by the incident. I don’t know what caused the delay but we had to wait for VIP guests to enter, while other fans had to wait,” recounted a security guard.
The sweltering weather was cited as a factor that made fans more prone to outbursts of anger than usual. Security had strict regulations that no water was allowed inside the venue. However, due to fans having to wait for a long time in the heat, the organizers had to make a last-minute change, allowing drinks into the covered stadium.
“I just feel sad. I spent thousands of dollars to meet Taylor. Please, I just want to be inside,” one person said.
Meanwhile, fans from Amsterdam (Netherlands) said they had been queuing with three friends for an hour and a half but were turned away when they approached the stadium gates.
“We were like cattle being herded. Completely chaotic,” a female fan lamented.
USA Today Entertainment reported that when Taylor appeared on stage, she didn’t offer an apology for the delay and the fans’ wait. Additionally, Taylor’s team did not respond to emails inquiring about the reason for the late start.
Instead, the 35-year-old singer expressed her gratitude for the fans’ affection: “This is my first time in Portugal, and this is how you welcome us. When I step outside, scan the crowd, and see you all, it takes my breath away. My heart beats so fast. You make me feel loved. Thank you so much.”
Taylor is scheduled to perform for another night in Lisbon before heading to Madrid, Spain, and opening the show at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu stadium on May 29th.
