Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after on-stage support for Palestine

Macklemore has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour, after several venues allegedly told promoters they would not allow him to perform following on-stage statements supporting Palestinians.

The Thrift Shop musician, 43, released a lengthy statement following the news, claiming he was dropped after a week of “difficult conversations” with Sheeran.

Macklemore, one of the tour’s openers, said Sheeran told him Robert Kraft, the owner of NFL team the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, started a pressure campaign after he said, “Free Palestine” and expressed support for Gaza and the West Bank at New Jersey shows on September 4 and 5.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively gave him an ultimatum: ‘if Macklemore stays on tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues’,” he said.

Kraft has confirmed he opposed Macklemore performing two shows at his stadium later this month, but did not address the alleged rallying of other owners.

He claimed his stance was due to Macklemore’s “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.”

Messina Touring Group, promoter of Sheeran’s US tour leg, confirmed the pressure to Rolling Stone.

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It said keeping Macklemore, a long-time vocal supporter of the Free Palestine movement, as part of the show “would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans”.

“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” it confirmed.

In his statement, Macklemore said he knew this pressure put Sheeran in a tough position.

“His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before. He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,” he said.

Macklemore had told the audience at Sheeran’s New Jersey shows he wanted Palestinians to know “we have not forgotten about them”.

These comments led to calls from The Israeli-American Council for him to be removed from the tour.

At the following day’s show, Macklemore reiterated his stance while also addressing Jewish audience members.

“Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,” he told the crowd. “My message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”

Though he has now been dropped, Macklemore stood by his beliefs.

“If those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on,” he said in his statement.

However, he hoped the outcome didn’t end his relationship with Sheeran, whom he considered “a brother”.

“Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement,” he said.

“I hope we both continue listening, studying what is happening in Palestine and wrestling with what neutrality means in a moment like this. My door will always be open to continuing that conversation.”

Sheeran has not yet commented on his opener’s removal.

The Loop tour will continue at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on September 19.