Zach Bryan Wears 'Free Palestine' Shirt at Kraft's Stadium, Echoing Macklemore Controversy

Country singer Zach Bryan wore a shirt emblazoned with “Free Palestine” during a concert at Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium on Friday night. The event occurred approximately one month after Kraft, the Jewish owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, reportedly barred rapper Macklemore from performing due to his political statements.

Bryan, 30, appeared on stage in Foxborough, Massachusetts, wearing a black T-shirt with white lettering that read “FREE PALESTINE.” A graphic of a pine tree separated this phrase from the words “AN APPEAL TO HEAVEN” below. Some of Bryan’s band members also wore clothing featuring Palestinian symbols during the concert.

The “Pine Tree” flag and the slogan “Appeal to Heaven” are historically associated with an American Revolutionary War campaign, described by the National Park Service as a reference to the idea that God could be invoked to defend natural rights. Bryan’s concert marked the start of a two-night engagement at the stadium as part of his “With Heaven on Tour” tour.

This incident follows a controversy involving Macklemore in early September. The rapper wore a keffiyeh and vocalized support for Palestine during his opening performance for Ed Sheeran’s tour at MetLife Stadium. Macklemore also displayed footage of Gaza and anti-Israel protests. He stated that the song he performed was inspired by the activism of Columbia University students.

Following Macklemore's statements, several NFL owners who were scheduled to host Sheeran's tour reportedly threatened to cancel the shows. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group had initially assured owners that Macklemore would refrain from political commentary on the second night. However, Macklemore proceeded with his message.

As a result of Macklemore's persistent political remarks, stadium owners, reportedly including Kraft, allegedly threatened to withdraw from hosting Sheeran's concerts. Although Sheeran's own Gillette Stadium shows were later canceled due to inclement weather, the incident highlighted tensions surrounding political expression at venues.

In September, Kraft and Sheeran reportedly committed to donating $2 million to Palestinian relief efforts. A statement attributed to Kraft indicated that Sheeran initiated the conversation, proposing a matching donation to address the humanitarian crisis. The initiative aimed to encourage collaboration among venue owners for humanitarian aid.