Why was Vijay's London event cancelled after hundreds of fans gathered outside The Shard?

London: Hundreds of fans gathered outside The Shard, London's tallest building, on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. However, the programme was called off after the Metropolitan Police raised safety concerns.

The cancellation disappointed many fans, some of whom had queued for hours to see the actor-turned-politician.

A member of Vijay's team announced over a loudspeaker that the event had been cancelled as the organisers did not have the required permission due to safety concerns.

"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 said. The fan had been waiting outside the hotel where Vijay was staying for several hours.

Vijay is in the UK as part of a state delegation seeking to attract investments to Tamil Nadu.

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

The investment drive aims to position Tamil Nadu as a leading advanced manufacturing and technology hub in Asia. It is expected to create more than 9,400 high-value jobs across the state.

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