U2 and Ed Sheeran cancel shows over security fears

Ed Sheeran and U2 have been forced to cancel their concerts in St. Louis in Missouri, USA, because police and “security personnel” have diverted staff to the protests that are taking place across the city.

People are angry over the acquittal of the white former police officer, Jason Stockley, charged with murdering Anthony Lamar Smith, who is black.

In a statement on Saturday morning, ahead of their show, U2 said: “We cannot in good conscience risk our fans’ safety by proceeding with tonight’s concert. As much as we regret having to cancel, we feel it is the only acceptable course of action in the current environment.”

And Bono quoted Martin Luther King Jr on Instagram, writing: “I found myself reading Dr King’s speech from the National Cathedral and asking myself is this 1968 or 2017?

“Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability….we are coming to ask America to be true to the huge promissory note that it signed years ago. And we are coming to engage in dramatic nonviolent action, to call attention to the gulf between promise and fulfillment; to make the invisible visible.”

U2 were booked to play The Dome at America’s Center, while singer-songwriter Sheeran was supposed to perform a sold-out show at the Scottrade Center.

A statement from Live Nation, U2’s concert promoter, said: “We have been informed by the St Louis police department that they are not in a position to provide the standard protection for our audience as would be expected for an event this size.

“We have also been informed that local crowd security personnel would not be at full capacity.”

The former police officer found not guilty of Smith’s murder in the brutal 2011 shooting was also accused of planting a gun at the scene in order to claim self-defense.

Following the verdict, protesters gathered throughout the city but the protests turned violent at night, with nine officers injured by rocks thrown at them. Over 32 people were arrested.