Street performers fighting over spot outside mall pulls in shoppers, goes viral: ‘You’re bullying her’
An argument between two Australian buskers has gone viral on social media, forcing one of the musicians to delete their online presence after an onslaught of outrage.
The video was posted to TikTok by singer Widya Tjong and showed a confrontation between her and violinist Vasiliy Shapkin.
Ms. Tjong was busking in Sydney, Australia’s Pitt Street Mall when Mr. Shapkin approached her and told her she needed to pack up as he had been “waiting” for the space.
“I think you should start packing up, I’m starting at 2 pm,” he can be heard saying in the video.
“My stuff was there I was just queuing for 2 pm, do you want to start packing up?”
The singer told him she had only just begun her set and that she had not seen him waiting.
“I literally just started, there was no one here before when I started,” she says.
The conflict then escalates with a number of bystanders jumping in to defend Ms. Tjong.
“Mate everyone is videoing you. You’re bullying her,” one woman says.
“She was here first. She was here before you,” one man can be heard saying.
At the end of the video, Ms. Tjong breaks down into tears before Mr. Shapkin begins playing.
“It’s yours, it’s yours. I’m done, I’m done,” she says.
The interaction, which was posted on Friday, now has 2.4 million views on TikTok.
Mr. Shapkin has since taken down his social media accounts.
On Saturday morning, Ms. Tjong made a follow-up post, saying she had been left “totally speechless” by the support.
“I just want to take my time right here right now to thank every single one of you for sending out love, kindness and support. I really, really don’t know what to say. You guys are so powerful and I really appreciate all the gestures you guys did,” she wrote.”
“I will keep doing what I love to do. I’m not giving up something like this can’t make me give up a dream I have had for 25 years so don’t worry I will still busk and perform just maybe not today not just yet.”
