Indian Police Stop Ed Sheeran's Surprise Street Performance
Police Close Down Ed Sheeran's Bengaluru Show
British singer Ed Sheeran, known for hits like "Shape of You," encountered an unexpected setback during his time in India. Although the singer was scheduled to perform at Bengaluru's NICE Grounds as part of his ongoing tour, a spontaneous performance on the city's street was interrupted by local authorities. Police intervened on Sunday, February 9, as the necessary permissions had not been obtained, The Times of India says.
Police Interrupt Instruments During Live Set
A video circulating on social media has caught the officers stopping Sheeran's live impromptu performance. The video shows police officers unplugging his instruments mid-performance while he was still singing. Sheeran informed the small gathering, "We have permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down. See you later!" Despite his assertion, the police maintained that there had not been any permission for the public performance.
Local Authorities Defend Their Action
Sanjay Kumar, the president of the Church Street and Rest House Association, defended the police's action, stating that even international artists must obtain official permission to play at public locations. "Sheeran's team could have approached us, and we would have arranged a proper venue, like a restaurant or open space, for the performance," Kumar explained. Bengaluru Cubbon Park police also defended their move, citing that street performances on the road inconvenience people's movement. "No one can perform on footpaths or roads since it troubles people," officials said. "When they didn't heed this, our team had no choice but to cut off the microphone."
Sheeran Reacts to the Incident
Following the shutdown, Sheeran took to Instagram Stories to reaffirm that his crew had gotten permission beforehand. "We had permission to busk, which is why we were performing in that spot. It was organized, not spontaneous," he wrote, telling fans that the situation was "all good" and welcoming them to his concert later that day.
Singer #EdSheeran stopped by #Bengaluru cops mid-performance on #ChurchStreet, asked to leave
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) February 9, 2025
Read more ? https://t.co/ACXa7ZS7qN pic.twitter.com/8aOCTvPriY
Tour Continues Despite Setback
Despite the incident, Sheeran continued with his second Bengaluru performance as planned. His next tour dates in India are Shillong on February 12 and Delhi on February 15 before he heads to China for six performances later in the month.
Upcoming Album and Future Plans
In a December interview with Variety, Sheeran revealed he had completed his new album and filmed two music videos, planning to film more while touring India, China, and the Middle East. It's unclear whether the aborted street performance was planned for inclusion in any of those upcoming projects.
