Zach Bryan Sets Gillette Stadium Attendance Record While Wearing 'Free Palestine' Shirt
Country singer Zach Bryan attracted a record crowd of 73,538 at Gillette Stadium, appearing in a shirt supporting Palestine. The performance follows recent controversy over pro-Palestine statements by other artists at the venue.
Country artist Zach Bryan performed his "With Heaven On Tour" shows on Friday and Saturday at Gillette Stadium, drawing a reported 73,538 fans, the highest attendance in the venue’s history. Bryan wore a T-shirt bearing the words "Free Palestine" but did not comment on the message during his set.
"Tonight, Zach Bryan broke the Gillette Stadium attendance record with 73,538 fans!" the stadium’s official Instagram account posted on Saturday.
The appearance comes amid ongoing debate over political expression at the stadium, which is owned by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Earlier this year, rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after his pro-Palestine remarks, prompting Kraft to issue a statement that the venue would not host "hate speech" and cited concerns about antisemitic content.
"Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech," Kraft said at the time.
Macklemore later offered to match a $1 million donation to aid Palestinians, and Kraft announced a $2 million matching contribution. Ed Sheeran, whose tour was affected, said the decision to drop Macklemore was made by the promoter, not by him, and emphasized his desire to keep his shows focused on unity rather than politics.