Pop superstar Ed Sheeran's spontaneous performance on Bengaluru's Church Street came to an abrupt end when local police, unaware of his identity, stopped him mid-song and asked him to leave the area.
The British singer-songwriter, who was in the city as part of his India Tour, decided to treat fans to an impromptu street performance. However, authorities intervened as Sheeran did not have the required permissions for the public gathering.
Video footage shows an officer unplugging Sheeran's microphone while he was performing his hit song "Shape of You" as surprised fans looked on. Before leaving, Sheeran addressed the crowd, saying, "We have permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down. See you later!"
However, both the Cubbon Park Police and Church Street Association confirmed that no permissions had been granted for the street performance. "No one can perform on the footpaths or roads as it causes inconvenience to others," stated Cubbon Park police officials.
Sanjay Kumar, president of the Church Street and Rest House Association, defended the police action, explaining that performances require proper authorization even abroad. He noted that Sheeran's team could have requested a private venue to accommodate fans safely.
The incident quickly went viral on social media, with mixed reactions from netizens. While some criticized the police response, others supported the action, citing concerns about crowd management and potential safety risks in the busy street.
Sheeran is currently on his Mathematics Tour (+-=÷x Tour) across India, having already performed in cities including Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. His management team has not responded to requests for comment about the Church Street incident.