German Influencer Younes Zarou’s Surprise Church Street Visit Causes Chaos in Bengaluru, Rescued by Police

German influencer Younes Zarou's surprise visit to Bengaluru’s Church Street caused chaos as thousands gathered after his social media post. Police intervened, citing safety concerns, and safely escorted him from the scene.

Bengaluru: A brief but intense episode of chaos unfolded on Bengaluru’s Church Street on Wednesday evening after popular German influencer Younes Zarou, who boasts over 21 million Instagram followers, announced a public meetup via social media, resulting in a massive, unregulated crowd.

No Prior Permission; Police Forced to Intervene 

The situation quickly escalated when Zarou posted, “Church Street, we are coming,” earlier in the day. Thousands of fans, many of them teenagers and young adults, gathered along the bustling stretch, prompting safety concerns due to the lack of crowd control measures or prior event permission.

Police officials were alerted around 4:00 pm, following which senior officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Hakay Akshay Machindra, rushed to the spot.

Rescued from Crowd and Escorted to Safety 

DCP Hakay said, “We received a call at the control room, and by the time we reached, around 2,000 people had already assembled. It was challenging to bring Zarou safely out of the crowd. He was escorted out in a police vehicle and later dropped off at a different location.”

No case was registered, but authorities emphasised that such unplanned gatherings posed significant public safety risks.

Reminder of Past Tragedies 

Officials cited a previous stampede incident in the city to justify the swift intervention. They also drew parallels with a similar situation earlier this year involving British pop star Ed Sheeran, who was stopped from performing impromptu on Church Street for failing to obtain official permission.

Influencer Thanks Police, Shares Message 

Zarou later thanked Bengaluru police for their swift action, stating, “Without the police chief, I think I would be somewhere else now.” 

He added humorously that “Bengaluru is not for beginners,” highlighting the overwhelming experience.

No Charges Filed, But Warning Issued 

While police confirmed that no legal action was taken against Zarou, they did issue a warning, advising him not to return to Church Street or organise public events without prior approval from local authorities.