Macklemore has been dropped from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran’s LOOP Tour after his pro-Palestinian speech at a concert in New Jersey sparked backlash.
The 43-year-old rapper, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, was removed from the line-up after several major US venues told tour promoters they would not allow him to perform. His departure means the tour can continue without the risk of further cancellations.
Macklemore appeared as Sheeran’s opening act on two consecutive nights at MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5. During his set, he wore a keffiyeh and addressed the conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
He told the audience: “One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine. I said, Free Palestine!”
He added: “I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.”
Macklemore then performed his protest song Hind’s Hall, while images depicting devastation in Gaza were shown on the stadium’s large screens.
During the speech, he said he believed “every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom, to know safety and peace before knowing the sounds of violence”. He also referred to ICE as a “terrorist organization” and called for freedom for Palestine, Cuba, Congo, Sudan and Iran.
The performance prompted a petition calling for his removal from the Ed Sheeran tour. The Israeli-American Council said the concert was “not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event”, arguing that the rapper had used the platform to promote “a one-sided political agenda”.
Reaction from fans was divided, with some defending Macklemore’s comments and others accusing him of anti-Semitic rhetoric. The number of signatures on the petition was not known.
Singer Pink also weighed in by reposting an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism criticising the performance. The post claimed Jewish fans had been “ambushed” by what it described as anti-Israel propaganda and called for apologies and refunds.
Macklemore appeared to stand by his comments, later sharing a clip of the speech with the caption: “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
He has previously expressed support for Palestinians and criticised Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In 2014, he apologised after wearing a disguise during a performance in Seattle which was condemned by many as an anti-Semitic Jewish caricature.
At the time, he said: “There is no worse feeling than being misunderstood, especially when people are hurt or offended… I respect all cultures and all people.”
