An impromptu street concert given by the musician in Bengaluru was halted by the authorities who claimed that permission had not been given.
A live street performance by British musician Ed Sheeran in the city of Bengaluru in southern India was cut short by the city police on Sunday due to permission not having been granted, local media have reported.
A video of the performance, which has gone viral on social media, shows Sheeran singing and playing his guitar on Church Street, performing his popular song ‘Shape of You’.
According to a police officer quoted by the New Indian Express, law enforcement received a call reporting a disturbance caused by a performance on Church Street, which is a central business district area in Bengaluru. The officer stated that the crowd began to swell rapidly, prompting the police to “intervene and manage the situation” before it escalated further.
Initially, the police officer, who was reportedly unaware of the identity of the singer, requested that Sheeran stop performing, but the requests were ignored.
The cops then unplugged the microphone and musical instruments to bring the performance to an end, according to a video circulated on social media.
Ed Sheeran seems like such an awesome guy
he was street busking in Bangalore and the police came and unplugged him 😭 pic.twitter.com/khWD9BACC9
— Sheel Mohnot (@pitdesi) February 9, 2025
The police’s action sparked outrage among music lovers, who began protesting and shouting in disagreement. In a video, Sheeran can be seen saying, “We have permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down.” The incident quickly set social media abuzz, with some calling it an embarrassment for Bengaluru – India’s Silicon Valley, known for its thriving music scene. Others pointed out the city’s ongoing struggle with a lack of public spaces for cultural events.
“It was disappointing when police stopped him mid-song; they should have let him finish. But overall, it was an unforgettable experience,” a bystander who witnessed the scene told the Times of India.
“There was no crowd chaos or traffic disruption – it was a quiet Sunday morning. I really don’t understand why they had to stop an international icon like Sheeran from performing,” another person was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
The musician is in India as part of his world tour.
Ed singing perfect with the KM Music Conservatory choir in Chennai today pic.twitter.com/4r20Tfi9dI
— Ed Sheeran HQ (@edsheeran) February 4, 2025
The singer later claimed on Instagram that his team had obtained the necessary permissions. The police responded, clarifying that the event management company had indeed approached them for permission to perform on Church Street, but the request was denied due to the high level of traffic in the area, which is often crowded.
Racists!