'We had permission to busk’: Ed Sheeran responds after Bengaluru police halt street performance

British singer Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding his impromptu street performance in Bengaluru, clarifying on Instagram that his team had obtained the necessary permissions.

"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. All good though. See ya at the show tonight x," he wrote.

His response came after a video of Bengaluru police halting his surprise performance on Church Street went viral. The incident took place on Sunday morning when Sheeran unexpectedly started singing on the footpath, drawing a large crowd. Police officers on duty, reportedly unaware of the singer’s identity, intervened and asked him to stop, citing a lack of official permissions.

However, the city police responded by saying that they had not granted the permission to the singer for busking, given the busy nature of traffic at the Church Street where the performance was held.

"A member among the event organisers came to meet me to seek permission for the streetside performance at Church Street. I refused to give permission because Church Street gets very crowded. That is the reason he was asked to vacate the place," news agency ANI quoted DCP Central Bengaluru Shekar T Tekkannanavar as saying.

Sheeran is currently in Bengaluru for his scheduled concert, and while the street gig delighted fans, the police intervention has led to discussions on public performances in the city.

(Also Read: Ed Sheeran stopped from busking on Bengaluru street. Top cop explains why)

How did X users react?

Many social media users expressed disappointment over the police action, especially after Sheeran clarified that permissions were in place. Some felt the intervention was unnecessary and could have been handled more politely. One user wrote, "It’s embarrassing because they had prior permission. Even if they didn’t, they were not causing harassment to anyone. Cops could have requested him to end the singing and leave politely."

Others pointed out inconsistencies in law enforcement, with one user commenting, "They never show this promptness for illegal street hawkers who occupy footpaths, under the bridge, and many public places. This is really helping them in improving their image globally." Criticism of police priorities was also evident, with users calling out their lack of sensitivity.

(Also Read: ‘No permit, no performance’: BJP's PC Mohan weighs in on Ed Sheeran’s Church Street performance halted by police)