News Editor Ajda Ender /Harrisons
A convicted Islamist extremist jailed for plotting to kill as many people as possible at a Taylor Swift concert is taking Disney to court claiming the entertainment giant violated his right to privacy.
Image shows the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna, Austria, where Taylor Swift’s concerts were set to take place, undated photo. A 15-year-old who was arrested for planning a terrorist attack was released. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (Newsflash)
The case is due to be heard at Vienna Regional Criminal Court in the Austrian capital on 22nd September.
Picture shows Beran A., undated. He is accused of foiling attack on Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Beran A., 21, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in May after being convicted over plans to attack fans attending one of Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Vienna in August 2024.
Picture shows Beran A., undated. He is accused of foiling attack on Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, Austria. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
The concerts were cancelled after authorities uncovered the plot, which investigators said involved plans to attack concertgoers with knives and explosives in the name of Islamic State.
Image shows one of the terrorists, Beran Aliji, 19, from Gostivar, North Macedonia, undated photo. A 15-year-old who was arrested for planning a terrorist attack was released. Note: Private photo from local media. (Newsflash)
Beran A. is now seeking compensation from Walt Disney over footage used in the six-part Disney+ documentary series The End of an Era, released at the end of 2025.
The series, which looks behind the scenes of Swift’s Eras Tour, also covered the cancelled Vienna concerts and the terrorist plot that led to them being called off.
Lawyer Ulrike Zeller, from Vienna law firm Suppan and Partner, said the documentary included excerpts from media reports showing Beran A.’s family home together with a street sign identifying its location.
She said: “There are clear limits.”
The claim is being brought under Section 7a of Austria’s Media Act, which protects against the disclosure of a person’s identity in certain circumstances.
The Vienna court will decide whether Beran A. is entitled to compensation and, if so, how much he should receive.
The size of the documentary’s audience could also be taken into account when determining any compensation awarded.
Beran A. will not be brought from prison to attend the hearing, where he is appearing as the private complainant.
Disney representatives are also not expected to travel from the US, with the company instead being represented by a Vienna law firm.
(Harrisons)
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