On 8 August, 2024, Austrian police revealed that they had thwarted a credible terrorist plot intended to attack concertgoers at a Taylor Swift show in Vienna. The 170,000 fans hoping to see the star were soon told that there was “no choice but to cancel” the three GDP-boosting “Eras Tour” shows scheduled in the city.
This episode marks the latest in a growing list of threats that high-profile events have had to contend with throughout the year. Less than two weeks earlier, arsonists started multiple fires on high-speed rail lines in remote locations in France, disrupting travel on the same day that the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was to be held in Paris. Earlier in the summer, the attempted shooting of Donald Trump at a political rally in Pennsylvania resulted in the death of an attendee, serious injuries to two others and the eventual resignation of the Head of the Secret Service. And in March, an Islamic State attack at a concert venue in Krasnogorsk, Russia led to the death of 145 people and injuring a further 551.
It may come as no surprise that bad actors target events of cultural, political and sporting significance. Large concentrations of people – often international – create a natural target, and perpetrators view the media spotlight that these opportunities already attract as a valuable tool in amplifying their intended message.
As such, the history of ‘mega events’ is riddled with political violence, with the Olympic Games alone having borne witness to regular disruption. The 1972 Munich hostage crisis and the 1996 Atlanta games bombing loom as large in the record of those events as the sporting results themselves. Additionally, there are a host of lesser-known acts that have occurred parallel to previous Olympiads, such as the wave of deadly attacks in rural China just two days after the Beijing games began in 2008.
This track record has naturally focused the attention of security services, even to the extent that the presence of law enforcement and/or the military during mega events has become part of the spectacle. Unfortunately, the result has been what the International Center for Counter Terrorism refers to as a ‘spatial and temporary displacement’ of violence. That is, in hoping to exploit the attention brought on by the cultural moment, bad actors now seek a broader range of targets, away from the event venue or even the host city.
Of course, for risk management professionals and event organizers this poses an acute challenge: the presence of a mega event brings an increased threat of violence extending well beyond the physical limits of the venue(s) in question.
As organizations navigate the complexities of event risk management, specialized short-term insurance solutions can play a crucial role in their strategy. Active Assailant insurance, for example, can provide essential support by addressing needs such as crisis management, victim care, emergency expenses, and liability coverage in the aftermath of violent incidents. This approach underscores the growing emphasis on preparedness and resilience.
WTW recently assisted a large Olympic Committee with such coverage for the 2024 Paris games, as we did for a major athletics organization in the U.S. ahead of one of the country’s marquee sporting events. Additionally, in advance of a national political convention occurring nearby, a healthcare client approached our crisis management team to obtain active assailant protection in case of an overflow of violence onto its premises.
Beyond risk transfer options, our in-house security advisory and crisis support team, Alert:24, can assist with scenario planning, protocol development and staff training – as we did for one of the world’s leading soccer federations. Ahead of sending a team to a major international tournament, our client was concerned about their exposure to high-impact risks in unfamiliar territory. Alert:24 outlined the probable risks facing the team, conducting a review of stadia, hotels, and transit routes to identify areas of vulnerability and assessed the suitability of existing security measures at each location. By leveraging industry experience, we provided the team with detailed advice on how to prevent these risks from transpiring and how to respond in the event an incident did occur.
Proactivity and preparedness are crucial in managing the risk of crises associated with political violence threats, especially when planning high-profile events. Beyond active assailant concerns, there are other exposures tied to events whether that be a potential loss of revenue or managing a broader scope of liabilities. Event cancellation coverage can provide additional support to the world’s largest events, including sports and entertainment programs. WTW has resources to deliver cross-industry expertise and data-driven insights to inform and support risk management decision makers for a wide range of high-profile, high-risk events.
To learn more about risk analysis, crisis management, and sports & entertainment offerings, speak to our team.
