Macklemore urges "Free Palestine" during Ed Sheeran concert, prompting petition
Rapper Macklemore used his opening slot for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium to call for "Free Palestine" and other causes, leading the Israeli American Council to file a petition seeking his removal from the tour.
Macklemore performed as the opening act for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday and used the stage to advocate for "Free Palestine" as well as other regions, including Cuba, the Congo, Sudan and Iran. He told the audience that people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank should know they have not been forgotten and added, "I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom." The rapper repeated the remarks at the following night’s show in New Jersey.
The Israeli American Council responded by launching a petition that asks concert organizers to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates of the Loop tour. The petition states that the event was intended as an Ed Sheeran concert, not a political rally, and questions the appropriateness of an opening act using a global platform for political messaging.
During his remarks, Macklemore also criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Earlier in 2024 he released the song “Hind’s Hall,” which critiques Israel’s actions in Gaza, and pledged that proceeds would be donated to humanitarian efforts through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.