Ed Sheeran, a British international pop singer, was humiliated by police during an Indian street performance.
Sheeran, who is currently on a tour of India, was singing her hit song Shape of You on Church Street in Bengaluru, India, the day before.
But suddenly, the Indian police stormed in and pulled out the microphone and guitar wires.
Fans enjoying Sheeran’s stage at the scene booed the police.
Local police said they did not allow Sheeran to perform on Church Street, and a citizen called to take action after the show began.
“Church Street is such a crowded area that people continue to try to move there, so we refused to perform,” explained Shekar Tekanavar, deputy commissioner of Bengaluru’s Central Police Agency.
However, shortly after the incident, Sheeran refuted on his social media, saying, “We were licensed to perform busking at the venue,” adding, “It was a previously planned performance, and it was not something we suddenly proceeded with.”
Opinions have been raised online to criticize the police response. Some have criticized police authorities for saying the performance is unlikely to cause problems and that it would be better to focus on other important issues, such as traffic congestion and water shortages, in Bengaluru, a city of about 14 million people.
Sheeran is also a popular artist in India, where performances in Mumbai, the capital of India, were sold out last year. He will perform two more shows in India before heading to China and the United Arab Emirates.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
