Boy George has voiced strong criticism of fellow musicians Ed Sheeran and Paloma Faith regarding their responses to Macklemore's pro-Palestinian statements made during Sheeran's tour. Macklemore, who performed as an opening act for Sheeran's Loop tour in New Jersey, called for "Free Palestine" onstage, prompting a petition seeking his removal from the remaining tour dates.
Sheeran, 35, has not yet commented on the incident. However, Paloma Faith, 45, reposted a clip of Macklemore's message on social media with the caption, "My hero." This drew sharp criticism from Boy George, 65, a former co-star of Faith's on the singing competition show "The Voice."
George took to X, formerly Twitter, to express his views, stating that slogans like "Free Palestine" can "offer the appearance of moral courage without requiring much political knowledge." He further described Sheeran as "spineless" and criticized Faith, calling her "as political as a soggy tuna sandwich."
George also praised singer Pink, 47, for speaking out against Macklemore's message. Pink had shared a post from StopAntisemitism that condemned Macklemore's performance as "anti-Israel propaganda" and accused him of turning a concert into a "political nightmare."
Macklemore, 43, has appeared to stand by his remarks, posting a clip of his speech with the caption, "Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial." He has a history of expressing support for Palestinians and has criticized Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. His 2024 song "Hind's Hall" addressed the situation in Gaza, with proceeds directed to UNRWA.
During his performance at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore wore a keffiyeh and displayed footage of Gaza while performing "Hind's Hall." He told the audience that his tour participation was an opportunity to say "Free Palestine" loudly and clearly. He also referenced the student encampment movement at Columbia University as inspiration for his song and addressed the Jewish community directly, stating that criticism of Israel or apartheid is not a criticism of Jewish people.
The Israeli-American Council has initiated a petition to have Macklemore removed from Sheeran's tour, arguing that a concert should not be a political rally and questioning the appropriateness of an opening act using a global platform for a "one-sided political agenda." The petition's current signature count has not been publicly disclosed. Social media reactions to Macklemore's statements have been divided, with some fans supporting his stance and others accusing him of antisemitic rhetoric. Sheeran's representatives have not responded to requests for comment.