‘No permit, no gig’: Bengaluru police stops Ed Sheeran’s street performance, netizens slam ‘Only in India’ moment

British musician Ed Sheeran’s impromptu performance on Bengaluru’s Church Street came to an abrupt halt on February 9 morning when police stepped in mid-song and unplugged his microphone. The singer was performing his hit Shape of You to a growing crowd when officers stopped the gig, citing a lack of permission.

Sheeran arrived at the venue with his security team and was welcomed by cheering onlookers. Before starting, he addressed the crowd: “We were going to play more than one song, but we’re being asked to play just one.”

As he strummed Shape of You, the excitement was short-lived. A police officer cut the performance midway, unplugging his microphone and instruments.

A senior officer from Cubbon Park police station said they had to intervene because the event lacked proper authorisation. “The police got there because someone complained about public nuisance. If the musician and his team had a permit, they could have shown it to the officers,” the official told PTI.

Fans captured the incident on video, sharing it widely on social media. One Reddit user posted the clip with the caption, “A police officer pulled the plug when Ed Sheeran surprised everyone on Church Street” along with laughing emojis. In the video, Sheeran is seen wearing casuals and sunglasses while addressing the crowd: “We have the permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down.”

The incident sparked mixed reactions online. Some called it a typical “Only in India” moment, while others criticised the authorities. A user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “International artist @edsheeran was stopped playing in #Bangalore at church street. Even though, he had the permission. Literally! The cops pulled the plug. Damn sad!”

Others sided with the police. “He’s just doing his job!” one commenter wrote, while another praised the officer’s impartiality: “Lmaooo, uncle doesn’t discriminate between goras and local street singers! He deserves an award.”

Some compared the situation to past crowd-control incidents, with one person referencing the Pushpa 2 stampede scare. “This will block the road, create issues, and finally lead to a stampede. Have you forgotten what happened when Allu Arjun visited the cinema hall to surprise fans?”