Rapper Macklemore has been dropped as an opening act for Ed Sheeran’s concert tour after voicing support for Palestine during a performance in the United States earlier this month.
Macklemore shouted “Free Palestine” while performing at MetLife Stadium before launching into Hind’s Hall, a protest song about Israel’s 2023 attacks in Gaza.
During the performance, he also screened a music video featuring US student protests over the killings in Gaza.
“I want to stand here, on this stage and in stadiums across America, and say two words that are very close and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine’,” he said.
Macklemore subsequently faced criticism from groups including the Anti-Defamation League and StopAntisemitism.
The Israeli-American Council also launched an online petition calling on Sheeran to remove the rapper from his Loop concert tour.
Messina Touring Group, the organiser of Sheeran’s tour, confirmed in a statement on Monday that Macklemore had been removed from all of the singer’s upcoming concerts.
Macklemore later confirmed the decision in a social media post, while urging people to focus on what he described as the real victims — Palestinians.
“The real victims are the Palestinians who are being killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through horrific violence.
“More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza. If they are not killed today, they will be killed tomorrow. I hope we all don’t misdirect our focus away from the real issue,” he said.
