Macklemore Announces 'Free Palestine Tour' After Ed Sheeran Tour Removal

Macklemore has announced a series of "Free Palestine" concerts following his removal as a support act from Ed Sheeran's "Mathematics Tour." The decision to drop Macklemore came after he made pro-Palestine comments during Sheeran's New Jersey shows earlier this month.

In response to Macklemore's removal, Sheeran's other opening acts—Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe—along with his backing band Beoga, announced they would be leaving the tour in solidarity with the rapper and Palestine. Sheeran himself has since faced accusations of "bowing to the mob" after apologizing to fans for his handling of the controversy.

Macklemore stated on Instagram that his schedule had "freed up a bit" and announced upcoming concerts in Dublin, Paris, and London starting October 26. Proceeds from these shows will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.

"There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now," Macklemore wrote. "It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it."

He added, "What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention." He indicated that artist announcements and U.S. dates for the "Free Palestine Tour" would be forthcoming.

Sheeran addressed the situation during his Philadelphia concert, calling the past week "one of the worst weeks of my life" and expressing uncertainty about continuing the tour. He read a statement from an autocue, describing the events of October 7 in Israel as "horrific" and the situation in Gaza as "catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate."

This public statement marked a departure from Sheeran's previous stance of keeping politics out of his shows. His remarks drew mixed reactions, with some criticizing him for succumbing to pressure while others found his words sincere. Piers Morgan commented on X, formerly Twitter, that while he agreed with Sheeran's overview of the conflict, he wished the singer hadn't felt forced to speak publicly on the matter.

Macklemore's removal from the tour followed his performance of his 2024 protest song "Hind's Hall," which condemns Israel's military actions in Gaza. U.S. stadium owner Robert Kraft reportedly accused Macklemore of hate speech and selective information sharing before banning him from performing at Gillette Stadium.

Despite the withdrawal of his support acts and band, Sheeran continued his tour, telling the Philadelphia audience that seeing 50,000 attendees who had not abandoned him motivated him to perform. He expressed gratitude and acknowledged the difficult global climate, stating that his shows aim to promote unity and love.