It was one surprise after another on Sunday, February 9 when pop singer Ed Sheeran performed in Bengaluru’s Church Street and was stopped midway by the Karnataka police while he was singing. A video of the incident, which happened one day after his concert in the city, has gone viral on social media.
In the video, Ed Sheeran is seen singing his famous number, Shape of You, when a police personnel asks him to stop playing and starts unplugging the wires of the speaker.
In another video, Ed Sheeran can be heard saying that they have taken permission from the police. "We have permission to do this [but] the policemen are shutting it down. But we will see you later," he adds.
The musician recently performed in Chennai for the first time. The highly anticipated concert was part of Sheeran’s ongoing +–=÷× Tour (pronounced the Mathematics Tour), which began in 2022 and is being organized by AEG Presents Asia and BookMyShow Live. He came to Bengaluru after the Chennai show, and the tour will continue to Shillong, and Gurugram.
Church Street, where the incident took place, is one of Bengaluru’s most popular and vibrant locations, especially on weekends. Situated in the centrally located Brigade Road area, the street is a hub for youngsters, tourists, and city dwellers looking to unwind. On weekends, Church Street is closed to vehicular traffic and transformed into a 'pedestrian-only' space. Church Street is lined with bookstores, cafes, and restaurants, along with small flea markets that add to its charm. It is also a hotspot for street musicians and artists, making impromptu performances a common sight.