Zach Bryan Wears 'Free Palestine' Shirt at Stadium After Macklemore Ban

Country singer Zach Bryan wore a shirt emblazoned with "Free Palestine" during his performance Friday night at Gillette Stadium, a venue owned by Robert Kraft. Bryan's appearance comes weeks after Macklemore was reportedly prohibited from performing at the same stadium due to his pro-Palestinian statements.

Bryan, 30, is scheduled for two concerts at the Foxborough, Massachusetts stadium as part of his "With Heaven On Tour." Members of Bryan's band also reportedly wore "Free Palestine" shirts during the performance, according to TMZ.

Macklemore had stated on Instagram that Ed Sheeran informed him that Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium through the Kraft Group, had banned him. Macklemore also claimed that Kraft had contacted other stadium owners, leading to an ultimatum: if Macklemore remained on Sheeran's tour, he would not be permitted to play in their venues.

Sheeran later addressed the controversy in a statement, asserting that the decision to remove Macklemore was not his own but came from the promoter. He stated his personal views on the conflict but chose not to speak publicly on the matter, adding that he would not let down fans or the touring crew. Sheeran also expressed concern over venues pre-approving performance content, stating it should not happen in a "free world."

Following the incident, other artists on Sheeran's tour, including Finneas (Billie Eilish's brother), Aaron Rowe, the band Lukas Graham, and the backing band Beoga, withdrew from their scheduled appearances. Sheeran noted that the situation had been challenging, describing it as "one of the worst weeks of my life."

Macklemore has since announced a "Macklemore & Friends Free Palestine" tour consisting of three shows in Dublin, Paris, and London, which reportedly sold out immediately. He described the shows as an effort to demonstrate how musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine and use their stages for fundraising and collective action.