Taylor Swift’s London gig came at a huge cost to fans and taxpayers.
Police records indicate that the pop superstar’s sold-out concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium came with a huge $890,000 price tag. According to the latest report on The Sun, the Metropolitan Police shelled out the big bucks on security for the pop superstar’s eight shows. This is now said to be among the police’s most expensive events in London last year.
The police reportedly incurred a cost surge of over $190,000 after Swift’s team, headed by her mom and manager, Andrea Swift, expressed their concerns for her safety, in the wake of security threats. This included a bomb plot targeting one of her Vienna concerts early this summer.
The Sun quoted security expert James Martin saying, “The significant cost increase was directly related to elevated security threats.”
The report further stated that the show required a deployment of 1,100 officers, with expenses surging from $86,000 per night in June to $127,000 in August. Swift’s mother reportedly insisted on additional security, including police escorts with flashing lights. She allegedly threatened to cancel the shows unless the demands were met.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was reportedly pressed to adjust standard security protocols to meet the pop star’s demands. Another report on Express US, claimed that her security bill even dwarfed that of Harry Styles, who also performed at the same venue.
“Styles’ four-night run required £220,000 in police funding, averaging £55,000 per night,” a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said in a statement to the portal. Documents also revealed that Styles later reimbursed $70,000 to the police department.
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