A planned public interaction between CM Vijay and the Tamil diaspora at The Shard, London was cancelled on September 16 after the Metropolitan Police raised public-safety concerns. Hundreds had gathered. The cancellation was of the public meet only — not of the investment mission, which concluded with Rs 15,300 crore in commitments.
A planned public meeting between CM C. Joseph Vijay and the Tamil diaspora at The Shard, London was called off on September 16 after the Metropolitan Police raised public-safety concerns about the large crowd that had gathered at the venue.
A public interaction between CM Vijay and Tamil diaspora members in London had been arranged at The Shard — the iconic glass skyscraper on the south bank of the Thames. Hundreds of people gathered in anticipation. The Metropolitan Police raised public-safety concerns about the crowd size and the absence of required permissions for an event of that scale. Vijay’s team announced the cancellation. TVK issued an appeal to supporters not to gather outside his hotel or along his travel routes, citing the police directions.
The cancellation was of the public diaspora meet only. Vijay’s investment mission, which concluded on September 16, had already delivered ₹15,300 crore in MoUs and Letters of Intent: Samvardhana Motherson ₹11,000 Cr (7,000 jobs), EY GCC ₹1,000 Cr (2,000+ jobs), Wilson Power Solutions ₹300 Cr (400 jobs, Thiruvallur), and Sigma Technology (digital/engineering expansion). Vijay returned to Chennai at 8 AM on September 17 via Dubai, as originally scheduled.
The Tamil diaspora in the UK numbers in the hundreds of thousands. When Vijay arrived in London on September 10, diaspora members had gathered at the airport with TVK flags to welcome him. The Shard meeting was planned to provide a more direct personal interaction — which was exactly what drew a crowd large enough to trigger police concerns.
Tamil Diaspora London The Shard Metropolitan Police September 16 2026