Ed Sheeran Tour Openers Depart in Solidarity with Macklemore

Several opening acts on Ed Sheeran's "The Loop" tour have withdrawn in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was removed from the tour after making a "Free Palestine" statement during a performance. Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe are among the artists who have publicly announced their departure from the tour.

Finneas stated on Instagram that artists should not be silenced when speaking out against oppression, declaring his support for Palestine and its people. Aaron Rowe expressed that he could not remain on the tour, citing his Irish heritage and awareness of genocide, forced famine, and occupation, and stated he would lose respect for himself if he continued. The Danish band Lukas Graham also posted on social media that the ability to speak about war and civilian deaths should not be controlled by financial interests, emphasizing that suffering should not be ignored based on financial status.

Irish band Beoga also announced their withdrawal, stating they oppose the "silencing of Macklemore by Zionist lobbyists." Singer Michelle Branch voiced her support for Macklemore on Instagram, commending his courage to speak out.

Ed Sheeran addressed Macklemore's removal in his own Instagram post, expressing dismay over the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He stated that while he had agreed to let Macklemore perform his own setlist, venues had notified the promoter that future shows would be canceled if Macklemore continued. Sheeran claimed the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter, not himself, and that he tried to mediate the situation without success. He emphasized that he would not abandon his fans, touring crew, or other support acts.

Sheeran clarified that he is not complicit in the Middle East conflict and typically remains neutral on political matters due to his audience's diverse backgrounds.

Macklemore's removal from the tour reportedly stemmed from venue promoters' decisions after his onstage "Free Palestine" declaration at a recent concert. In his own statement, Macklemore indicated that Sheeran and his team made the decision to remove him, describing difficult conversations between them that highlighted a fundamental disagreement on the issue. He stated he told Sheeran that the words "Free Palestine" were not more offensive than the killing of Palestinian children.

Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, explained in a statement that the venue aims to provide a welcoming environment and does not permit hate speech. He cited Macklemore's onstage remarks and a history of antisemitic rhetoric as reasons for determining he would not be allowed to perform at the stadium. Kraft added that this decision was not intended to diminish the suffering of Palestinians or deny advocacy for them, but that such advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure Hamas's responsibility.