Ed Sheeran’s Performance Halted by Police – Here’s Why

Edward Christopher “Ed” Sheeran (born February 17, 1991) is an English singer-songwriter known for playing the guitar and writing and producing his own songs.

Who is currently in India as part of his Mathematics Tour, had an impromptu street performance on Church Street in Bengaluru cut short by police.

Ed sheeran performing in India street police stop

The police intervened, despite Sheeran’s team’s claim of having permission for the performance, because he did not have the required permissions and the crowd was swelling.

Sheeran was seen in a video telling the crowd, “We have the permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down”.

Ed Sheeran Reaction After the Incident

After the incident, Sheeran said in an Instagram story that “We had permission to busk btw, hence us playing in that exact spot, was planned out before, it wasn’t just us randomly turning up,”.

However, a police official stated that permission had been requested but denied due to Church Street being a high-traffic area and a high court order.

How did the crowd react to the police intervention

The police intervention during Ed Sheeran’s impromptu street performance on Church Street in Bengaluru led to mixed reactions from the crowd.

Protest and Disappointment

Many music lovers and fans expressed anger and disappointment when the police halted the performance. Some called it an embarrassing moment for Bengaluru and voiced frustration over the missed opportunity to see Sheeran perform informally.

Support for Police Action

Some people defended the police, stating they were doing their job by ensuring safety and order, as the performance was unauthorized and could lead to crowd management issues. Concerns were raised about potential stampedes due to large, unmanaged crowds.

Humor and Iron

Some found humor in the situation, noting the irony of a global superstar being stopped and potentially unrecognized by the officers.

What were the main reasons given by the police for stopping the performance?

Lack of Permission

The police stated that Sheeran did not have prior permission to perform on Church Street. According to officials, no one had approached them seeking permission, and unauthorized public performances are not allowed .

Traffic and Congestion

Church Street is a high-traffic area, and the police were concerned that the performance would cause traffic congestion and inconvenience to the public.

High Court Order

A high court order was in place regarding Church Street, likely related to evacuations or restrictions in the area.

Public Nuisance

The police received complaints about public nuisance related to the event.

Crowd Management and Safety

The police were concerned that the growing crowd could lead to management and security issues. They emphasized that public performances, especially those attracting large crowds, require prior authorization to ensure safety and order..

Police also cited footpath encroachment as a reason for stopping the performance.

Fans criticised the police intervention online, with one saying: “We live in an uncleocracy. And there’s nothing uncles love more than to stop young people from having fun,” referring to the number of vague rules that govern the use of public spaces in India.

However PC Mohan, a local MP from the ruling BJP party, said “even global stars must follow local rules – no permit, no performance!”

Sheeran is in India for the second year in a row on a 15-day tour, having already played in Pune Hyderabad and Chennai and with more concerts scheduled for Shillong in India’s north-east and the capital Delhi.

At his Bengaluru show, Sheeran surprised fans by singing two hit local songs in the Telugu language with singer Shilpa Rao on stage.

He previously collaborated with Indian singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh during the latter’s concert in Birmingham last year.

While in India he has also collaborated with sitar musician Megha Rawoot on a version of his hit song Shape of You.

Demand for live music concerts has been increasing in India, with Sheeran’s biggest-ever tour of the country coming close on the heels of Dua Lipa’s recent performance in Mumbai and Coldplay’s multi-city tour.

With growing disposable incomes, India is an emerging player in the “concert economy”, a recent Bank of Baroda report said, with live concerts set to be worth $700-900m (£550-730m).