Rapper Macklemore has commenced his "Free Palestine" tour in Dublin, Ireland, after a falling out with fellow artist Ed Sheeran. The tour, which began at the 3Arena to a crowd of up to 13,000, is set to include performances in Paris and London. Macklemore announced the "Free Palestine" tour days after being dropped from Sheeran's Loop Tour.
The controversy stems from pro-Palestinian comments Macklemore made during previous performances. He was criticized by Jewish groups after voicing "Free Palestine" and referring to the death toll in Gaza as a genocide, a claim rejected by Israel. Sheeran stated that the decision to remove Macklemore from his tour was made by the concert promoter, Messina Touring Group, not by Sheeran himself.
Macklemore's initial remarks occurred in early September while opening for Sheeran in New Jersey, where he expressed his support for Palestine. He subsequently performed a song dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University. Following his removal from Sheeran's tour on September 14, Macklemore suggested that stadium owners had conspired to push him out. Billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft accused Macklemore of hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric.
Sheeran addressed the situation during a concert in Philadelphia, acknowledging he had made "mistakes" in handling the fallout. He apologized to fans and characterized the conflict as a "humanitarian issue," describing the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks as "horrific" and the situation in Gaza as "unjustifiable and disproportionate."
Macklemore has stated that proceeds from his "Free Palestine" tour will be donated to organizations supporting Palestinians. The Israeli military initiated its campaign in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, over 70,000 people have been killed during Israel's military operations in Gaza, figures corroborated by the UN. Israel maintains that its operations are defensive and conducted in accordance with international law.