Two popular German content creators found themselves briefly detained by Bengaluru Police on Wednesday after their surprise street performances drew massive crowds, sparking safety concerns.
Noel Robinson, a TikTok and Instagram sensation with over 11 million followers, was stopped by police during one of his signature dance videos on a city street. Known for surprising bystanders with his hidden afro reveal, Robinson shared a video on Instagram detailing the encounter. “This was my first time being taken to a police station! I was scared they would send me to prison but luckily everything was fine! I’m safe and I love India!” he wrote in the caption.
In the video, Robinson explained that he was fined about $2 and detained for roughly 15 minutes after his impromptu performance attracted a large crowd without the necessary permissions.
Around the same time, another German influencer, Younes Zarou—who boasts over 20 million followers on Instagram—also faced similar action. Zarou, famous for his visually creative illusion videos, had posted that he was heading to Church Street in Bengaluru. The announcement went viral, prompting hundreds of fans to gather at the popular location.
Footage shared by Zarou showed police escorting him amid swelling crowds. Officers from the Cubbon Park Police Station later confirmed that public gatherings of such scale require prior approval, which was not obtained.
The twin incidents echo a similar episode earlier this year when British singer Ed Sheeran was asked to halt a surprise performance on Church Street for not securing proper permissions.
While both creators were released shortly after their detentions, the events underline the challenges of managing spontaneous public performances by global social media celebrities in busy urban areas.