Macklemore opened two shows for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. During those sets, he said “Free Palestine,” told the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten, and performed his protest song Hind’s Hall. The next night he repeated his stance and addressed Jewish audience members directly, saying criticism of Israel and opposition to what he called apartheid and genocide was “in no way a criticism of you,” and that his message was “for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”
The comments triggered a petition from the Israeli-American Council calling for his removal. Days later, Messina Touring Group, promoter of Sheeran’s U.S. dates, said multiple venues had warned they would not host the shows if Macklemore stayed on the bill. Keeping him, the promoter said, “would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans.” After talks with stakeholders, Macklemore was pulled from the remaining support dates.
Macklemore said Sheeran told him New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium (where two late-September dates were scheduled), had said the rapper would not be allowed to perform there. According to Macklemore, Kraft also “rallied some of the other stadium owners” and delivered an ultimatum. If Macklemore stayed on the tour, Sheeran would not be allowed to play those venues. Kraft confirmed he opposed Macklemore appearing at Gillette, citing “recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”
He said the stadium would not provide a platform for hate speech. Kraft did not publicly confirm the claim that he organised other owners. He also said the decision was not meant to deny Palestinian suffering or the right to advocate for civilians.
Macklemore said the pressure put Sheeran, a friend of 13 years, in a difficult position. He said Sheeran told him the words “Free Palestine” and images of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to people he had spoken with. Macklemore stood by the comments, writing that if those words cost him the stage while turning attention back to Palestine, “then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on.” He said he hoped the friendship survived: “Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement.”
On September 15, Sheeran released his own statement. He said Macklemore coming off the tour “was the promoter’s decision; it was not mine,” and that Macklemore’s contract was with the promoter, not with him. After the New Jersey shows, he said, venues indicated they would pull dates if Macklemore remained. Sheeran said he spent the week trying to “build a bridge,” including talks with Kraft and with activists on both sides, but the venue and promoter decision was final. He declined to enter a public debate about Israel and Palestine, saying his shows are meant to be a place of “unity” and “escapism,” not a political forum. “Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have [personal views], and it doesn’t mean I don’t care,” he wrote.
Hours later, the remaining opening acts quit.
Irish singer Aaron Rowe said he could not “stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence” people speaking against what he called Israeli genocide. Danish band Lukas Graham said, “nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets the right to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.” Finneas, scheduled for later South American dates, wrote: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I stand with Palestine and its people.” Irish folk group Beoga, Sheeran’s touring band on the U.S. dates, also withdrew, saying they would not play venues that “silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine.” Several of the departing acts still described Sheeran as a friend.
The Loop tour is scheduled to resume September 19 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. It is unclear whether the remaining stadium dates will go ahead without openers or a touring band.
