Ed Sheeran may be in love with the shape of you, but authorities in Bengaluru weren't exactly in love with the sound of him. The English singer-songwriter's street performance in the Indian city was cut short by local police due to permission issues, leaving fans disappointed.

Currently, on his India tour since January 30, Sheeran was in Bengaluru over the weekend to perform two scheduled shows at NICE Grounds. However, on Sunday (February 9), an impromptu street performance was unexpectedly halted by the police. According to The Times of India, the intervention occurred due to the lack of official authorization for the performance.

Videos circulating on social media show Sheeran performing his hit song Shape of You when officers stepped in and unplugged his instruments. Addressing the crowd, Sheeran stated, "We have permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down. See you later! before leaving the area."

Sanjay Kumar, president of the Church Street and Rest House Association, later commented on the incident, stating that local police were within their rights to stop the performance. "Even abroad, performances require permission," Kumar explained. "Sheeran's team could have approached us, and we would have arranged a private space in a restaurant or an open venue for Bengaluru to enjoy."

Despite Sheeran's claim that he had the necessary authorization, Bengalurus Cubbon Park police denied this, asserting that no one is allowed to perform on footpaths or roads as it could inconvenience the public. "Our team asked them to stop, and when they didn't comply, the officers at the spot unplugged the mic connection," a police spokesperson said.

Following the incident, Sheeran took to Instagram Stories to clarify his stance. "We had permission to busk btw, hence us playing in that exact spot, was planned out before, it wasn't just us randomly turning up," he wrote. "All good though. See ya at the show tonight x."

Despite the setback, Sheeran's scheduled concert in Bengaluru proceeded as planned later that evening. His India tour continues with performances in Shillong on February 12 and in Delhi on February 15 before he heads to China for six tour dates later in the month.

In a previous interview with Variety in December, Sheeran revealed that he had completed his upcoming album, shot two music videos, and planned to film two more during his travels across India, China, and the Middle East. It remains unclear whether the interrupted street performance was intended to be part of a future music video.

Source: Billboard