Shape of You singer Ed Sheeran’s street performance in Bengaluru, India, was recently stopped by Indian police officials. The incident gained significant attention on the internet, prompting the singer to comment on his experience. Sheeran is currently in India for the international leg of his highly successful Mathematics tour. Here are all the details regarding the incident and what the authorities had to say about it.
What happened to Ed Sheeran in Bengaluru?
A clip of renowned singer Ed Sheeran busking on Church Street in the Indian city of Bengaluru and then being abruptly stopped by the authorities recently went viral on X (formerly Twitter), sparking widespread online debate.
According to a report by NBC News, Sheeran was performing his song Shape of You in a white T-shirt and green shorts when he was suddenly confronted by an Indian police officer. The clip shows Sheeran’s companions intervening to stop the officer, but the officer unplugged the microphone. This led to the singer shrugging and leaving the area.
However, soon after the incident, Sheeran posted a written statement on his Instagram story, asserting his stance and clarifying the situation.
“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. All good though.”
Although Sheeran maintained that his team had permission to busk from the Bengaluru authorities, the deputy commissioner of police for Central Bengaluru stated otherwise. In his statement to ANI, posted by the outlet on X, DCP Shekar T. Tekkannanavar said:
“A member of the event organizers came to meet me to seek permission for the street-side performance at Church Street. I refused to give permission because Church Street gets very crowded.”
He further added that this was the reason his officer asked Sheeran “to vacate the place.”
