CM Vijay’s London event cancelled: What happened and why UK police raised concerns?

For public safety concerns, we are calling off the programme because we don't have permission due to safety concerns, a member of the chief minister's team was seen annouuncing over a loudspeaker in videos shared by news agencies.

An high-profile event featuring Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in London was cancelled on Tuesday (UK Time) due to ‘safety’ concerns, news agency PTI reported.

Hundreds of fans had gathered outside London's tallest building, The Shard, to catch a glimpse of actor-turned Tamil Nadu CM. But to their utter disappointment, the event was called off after the Metropolitan Police intervened, citing safety concerns, news agency PTI reported.

The event could not be held due to safety concerns raised after an overwhelming crowd showed up at the upscale venue to meet the chief minister. "For public safety concerns, we are calling off the programme because we don't have permission due to safety concerns," a member of the chief minister's team announced over a loudspeaker.

‘Absolutely chaotic’

“London is absolutely chaotic to try and catch a glimpse of Vijay. The whole of london bridge/ shard area is packed. The locals are wondering what the hell is going on. Very hard for security and officials to contain right now,” an eye witness wrote on X with a video

Shangri-La The Shard, London, is a luxury five-star hotel occupying floors 34-52 of Western Europe's tallest building.

Some of the fans had queued for hours for the event organised by TVK's UK chapter. "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," a young fan, who had been camped at the actor-turned-politician's hotel for hours, was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Vijay is leading a state delegation to the UK to attract investments into Tamil Nadu.

Vijay’s high-profile UK itinerary

CM Vijay’s high-profile UK itinerary, which included a visit to the Silverstone motor racing circuit in England, where he met actor and racer Ajith Kumar, drew sharp criticism from opposition parties, which questioned whether the trip was primarily aimed at securing investments for the state.

Vijay is scheduled to conclude his UK tour and return to India on Wednesday.

Earlier, the AIADMK took a swipe at Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay over his visit to London to attract investment, questioning the need for such an overseas trip at taxpayers’ expense.

Earlier, the Chief Minister's Office said the delegation had signed multiple memoranda of Understanding involving investments worth around ₹12,300 crore during the visit.

The investment drive, aimed at positioning Tamil Nadu as Asia's premier advanced manufacturing and technology hub, is expected to generate more than 9,400 high-value jobs across the state.

The party pointed out that a company established in India in 1986 and headquartered in Noida was among the businesses involved, raising questions about the rationale for Vijay travelling to the UK to promote investment.

For public safety concerns, we are calling off the programme because we don't have permission due to safety concerns.

On Monday, Vijay highlighted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in London between Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd and Guidance, Tamil Nadu, for an investment of approximately ₹11,000 crore in the state.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author

Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.

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