Ed Sheeran surprised fans by performing live on a busy street in southern India on Sunday, but police quickly shut down the British singer’s concert, citing lack of permission.
The four-time Grammy winner was in the middle of his show in the southern city of Bangalore when he decided to go busking on the city’s Church Street. But according to photos published on social media, Sheeran was in the middle of singing “Shape of You” when a policeman pulled the cable of his guitar and microphone, causing the singer to throw up his hands in frustration.
Local police say they had previously refused Sheeran permission to play music in the area, and when he started playing music, a citizen called a helpline to report the violation. “We refused it because Church Street is a very busy area and we want to encourage people to keep moving around there,” Shekhar H. Tekkannavar, deputy commissioner of police for the Bangalore Central Division, told CNN on Monday.
Sheeran, on the other hand, claimed the street performance had been given the all-clear. “We were allowed to busk,” Sheeran said on Instagram shortly after the incident on Sunday. “(The street performance) was planned in advance, we didn’t just show up.
Ed Sheeran arrested by Indian police
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