Ed Sheeran's surprise street performance in Bengaluru on Sunday was abruptly interrupted by police, who stated that the event did not have the necessary permits.
Sheeran, who was performing in the city ahead of his scheduled Mathematics Tour concert, had set up to busk on Church Street, a busy shopping and entertainment area.
In a viral video, a local police officer can be seen unplugging Sheeran's microphone mid-performance.
The authorities explained that the request for permission to perform was rejected to prevent crowd congestion.
According to Outlook, Bengaluru's Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shekar T Tekkannanavar, confirmed that the performance was stopped due to a lack of approval, noting that Church Street was already prone to heavy crowds.
Indian police officer stops Ed Sheeran from performinghttps://t.co/zLopHK6FVf pic.twitter.com/jAn71q7Sfo
— @talkagblog_official (@talkagblogoffi1) February 10, 2025
Ed Sheeran Clarifies Bengaluru Street Performance
Despite the interruption, Sheeran took to Instagram to clarify that his team had received prior approval for the performance.
"We had permission to busk, by the way. Hence, us playing in that exact spot was planned out beforehand. It wasn't just us randomly turning up," Sheeran wrote, assuring fans that all was well.
Ed Sheeran clarifies the incident pic.twitter.com/fgtFuZrHlh
— mydzn (@MadelaineDizon) February 10, 2025
The incident sparked a wave of criticism from fans, who voiced their frustration online. One fan humorously referred to the situation as an example of an "uncleocracy," a term used to describe the numerous rules that govern public spaces in India, BBC said.
However, local MP PC Mohan defended the action, stating that even global stars must follow local rules, adding, "No permit, no performance."
Sheeran, who is currently on his 15-day tour across India, had already performed in Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai before heading to Bengaluru.
At his Bengaluru concert, he delighted fans by performing two popular Telugu songs with singer Shilpa Rao.
Sheeran's ongoing tour, which includes upcoming shows in Shillong and Delhi, has seen growing demand for live music concerts in India, which is becoming an emerging hub for international acts.
© 2025 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
