Ed Sheeran, who is currently on tour in India, attempted to host a spontaneous performance on the street in Bengaluru, but local police quickly shut the show down before fans could gather.
In video being shared on social media, Sheeran appeared ready to begin his mega-hit “Shape of You” when police unplugged his PA system. The India Times reported that Sheeran’s team insisted they were granted permission to perform, but authorities insisted on putting an end to the show.
“This is just abysmal and embarrassing,” wrote one fan on X. “Bengaluru cops pull the plug & stop @edsheeran while he was performing live on church Street. His team claims the performance was to last only a few minutes & permission was also taken, cops deny this claim.”
Sheeran performed in the city Saturday night and has a second concert scheduled for Sunday.
Authorities didn’t appear to give an exact reason for shutting down the singer, but it’s likely due to concerns over crowd control. Dozens of people died in January at the world’s largest religious gathering after a barrier near a river broke and people fell into the water.
CNN reported at least 35 bodies were pulled from the river. At least 100 million people visited the site of the crush to bathe in the Triveni Sangam, where the the Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswatir rivers meet. The practice brings devotees closer to “spiritual liberation.”
Watch the moment authorities took over Sheeran’s show in the video above.
