Hundreds of fans gathered outside The Shard in London on Tuesday hoping to catch a glimpse of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, but a planned public appearance was cancelled after the Metropolitan Police raised safety concerns. Many supporters had reportedly waited for hours near the landmark, which is the tallest building in the UK, only to learn that the programme would not go ahead. A member of Vijay’s team announced the cancellation through a loudspeaker, saying the organisers did not have the required permission because of public safety concerns. The decision left several fans disappointed after they had spent hours waiting for the actor-turned-politician.

The cancellation followed the gathering of a large number of supporters outside the venue. A young fan quoted in reports said the decision was understandable from a safety perspective but expressed disappointment over the people who had already been waiting. The fan said the crowd was unlike those usually seen around Vijay in Tamil Nadu. The Metropolitan Police’s intervention meant the planned interaction could not proceed, with the immediate concern centred on managing the gathering safely. Details about whether the event could be rescheduled were not immediately available.

Vijay is in the United Kingdom as part of a Tamil Nadu government delegation seeking investment for the state. During the visit, the state government said multiple memoranda of understanding had been signed involving proposed investments of around ₹12,300 crore. The investment drive is focused on strengthening Tamil Nadu’s position in advanced manufacturing and technology and attracting international companies to establish or expand operations in the state. The agreements announced during the visit are expected by the government to generate more than 9,400 high-value jobs across Tamil Nadu.

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The investment commitments include a major proposal from Samvardhana Motherson International, which has agreed to invest approximately ₹11,000 crore over five years in integrated design, engineering, manufacturing, assembly and logistics facilities in Tamil Nadu. The state has also announced an investment of ₹1,000 crore by EY for a Global Capability Centre, with the project expected to create around 2,000 corporate jobs. Wilson Power Solutions has separately announced plans for a ₹300-crore manufacturing facility in Thiruvallur, while Sigma Technology Group is expanding its digital engineering operations in the state.

The London event was cancelled as Vijay’s UK visit approached its conclusion. He is scheduled to return to India on Wednesday after completing the investment-focused tour. The cancellation was limited to the planned public appearance and does not, based on the available reports, indicate that the wider investment programme was called off. The incident nevertheless underscored the logistical challenges of organising a public appearance involving a prominent political figure when large crowds gather unexpectedly or exceed what local authorities can safely accommodate.

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