Street Singer Ceases Busking in Leeds After Violent Confrontation

Jason Allan, a seasoned street musician from Shropshire with over a million followers on TikTok, has announced he will no longer perform in Leeds after being assaulted by a group of young men while busking. The attack occurred while he was singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" outside the Trinity Shopping Centre, where the youths tampered with his equipment and one appeared to carry a knife. The confrontation escalated, and Allan posted a TikTok video documenting the event, which garnered 17 million views last week.

In his video, Allan explained that he has been busking for about 20 years but finds it increasingly challenging, noting that fewer people carry cash and that making a living from street performance has become more difficult. He emphasized the importance of safety, stating that with recent events and the viral nature of the incident, he no longer feels the long trip to Leeds is worthwhile. His last performance in the city will be followed by a gig at Belgrave Music Hall.

Although he noted that violent encounters can happen anywhere, Allan feels the incident was a culmination of unfortunate occurrences, which has diverted attention from his music to the chaos. In his video, he expressed concern over the actions of the youths interfering with his performance and confronted them directly, ultimately documenting their retreat upon realizing they were being filmed. Despite the tension, he acknowledged the assistance of bystanders who intervened to break up the confrontation, reinforcing his belief that buskers have the right to defend themselves against such aggressions.