Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s planned public appearance near The Shard in London was cancelled after police flagged crowd safety concerns. The decision disappointed supporters who had waited for hours during his UK visit.
A planned public appearance by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay near London’s iconic Shard skyscraper was cancelled on Tuesday after police raised concerns over crowd safety, leaving hundreds of supporters disappointed.
Fans had gathered outside The Shard, the UK’s tallest building, hoping to catch a glimpse of the actor-politician during his visit to the European country. Many had reportedly been waiting for hours when organisers announced that the event would not go ahead.
Addressing the crowd through a loudspeaker, a member of Vijay’s team said the programme had been cancelled because the required permission could not be secured due to safety concerns.
The announcement drew disappointment from supporters, some of whom had travelled long distances and spent much of the day outside the venue.
“I think it’s reasonable, but all of these people have been waiting. This is hardly the kind of crowds we see in Tamil Nadu,” PTI quoted one fan as saying after the cancellation. The fan had been waiting at the actor-politician’s hotel for hours.
Vijay is currently in the UK leading a Tamil Nadu government delegation on an investment outreach mission aimed at attracting global investors to the state.