Hundreds gather for CM Vijay in London, event cancelled over safety concerns

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.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the delegation signed multiple memoranda of understanding during the visit, bringing in proposed investments worth about Rs 12,300 crore.

The agreements are expected to support Tamil Nadu’s push to become a major advanced manufacturing and technology hub in Asia and could create more than 9,400 high-value jobs, officials said.

Vijay is expected to conclude his UK visit and return to India on Wednesday.

(With inputs from PTI)