Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's planned public appearance near The Shard in London was cancelled on Tuesday after concerns were raised about crowd safety. Hundreds of supporters had gathered near the landmark, with some waiting for hours, before organisers announced that the programme would not go ahead. PTI News
The immediate reason was public safety and the absence of the required clearance for the gathering. A member of Vijay's team told those assembled that the programme was being called off because permission was unavailable due to safety concerns. Reports said the Metropolitan Police had intervened as the crowd gathered around the venue. PTI News
What Led To The Cancellation
The planned interaction had attracted a large number of supporters hoping to see Vijay during his UK visit. His party's IT wing later said the meeting had become impossible after a request from the Metropolitan Police concerning public safety. It also asked supporters not to wait outside Vijay's hotel or gather along his travel route in an attempt to meet him.
The cancellation left supporters disappointed, particularly those who had spent several hours waiting near The Shard. No replacement public meeting or rescheduled London interaction had been announced in the initial reports following the cancellation.
Vijay was in the United Kingdom leading a Tamil Nadu government delegation focused on attracting investment to the state. The cancelled supporter interaction was separate from the official investment engagements that formed the main purpose of his UK visit.