Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour over pro-Palestine stance

Kraft said Macklemore was barred based on his recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.

Members of Zach Bryan's band also appeared to wear clothing supporting the Palestinian cause.

Macklemore announced a new concert run called the 'Free Palestine Tour.'

Fox News Digital reached out to Sheeran's and Kraft's representatives for comment.

Griffin said she personally thinks Palestine should be its own country.

Kathy Griffin said Ed Sheeran should have told Robert Kraft to 'go f--- yourself' after barring Macklemore from performing as his opening act.

Macklemore is the stage name of Ben Haggerty.

Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican.

Macklemore wrote a song called "Hind's Hall" about pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.

Robert Kraft played a key role in the expulsion of rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's tour earlier this month.

The news of the concert cancellations was first reported by TMZ.

Macklemore announced a tour in support of Palestine, stating that the proceeds will go towards organisations that help the Palestinians.

English punk rap duo Bob Vylan expressed support for the tour.

Robert Kraft confirmed Macklemore was barred from performing at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Macklemore said all proceeds from the tour will be donated to causes supporting the Palestinian people.

The other two opening acts and Ed Sheeran's backing band pulled out of the tour after Macklemore was dropped.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour after saying 'Free Palestine' onstage at a New Jersey concert.

Campbell told Ticketmaster that unfair or deceptive acts and practices in commercial activities violate the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act.

The article was published on September 21, 2026.

Macklemore was the opening act on Ed Sheeran's tour.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour over pro-Palestinian comments he made from the stage at an earlier show in New Jersey.

Saturday Night Live UK mocked Ed Sheeran in a sketch depicting him as 'sitting on the fence' during a war between humans and AI robots.

All of Ed Sheeran's remaining support acts withdrew from the tour earlier in the week.

Ed Sheeran said at the concert that what is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate.

Pro-Palestinian protesters rallied outside Ed Sheeran's solo concert in Philadelphia.

Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's US tour.

The concert took place on a Saturday night.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the stadium before the concert.

Ed Sheeran said he had tried not to be a political commentator because he wanted his music and shows to be about unity, not division.

Ed Sheeran's backing band and opening acts boycotted the event.

Approximately 100 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near Lincoln Financial Field ahead of Ed Sheeran's Philadelphia concert.

Ed Sheeran delivered a four-minute speech at his Philadelphia concert addressing the controversy surrounding his tour after Macklemore was dropped as an opening act.

Ed Sheeran said he saw an uptick in ticket sales which convinced him to continue the tour despite calls to cancel the remaining dates.

Israel continues to kill Palestinians in frequent strikes across Gaza despite a ceasefire agreement.

A ceasefire agreement is in place regarding Gaza.

Artists in Gaza are painting murals on destroyed walls honoring US rapper Macklemore for his support for Palestine.

Ed Sheeran apologized to fans for making mistakes during his Philadelphia concert.

Ed Sheeran said he has never wanted to be an activist musician but the controversy put him in the middle of an argument about freedom of speech.

Messina Touring Group, the tour's U.S. promoter, said venues notified them they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the lineup.

Robert Kraft made a $2 million donation to Gaza after Macklemore called on him to match the rapper's $1 million donation.

Macklemore wore a costume featuring a fake prosthetic nose, a dark wig, and a beard during a 2014 onstage performance.

Bill Maher criticized Macklemore during Friday's episode of HBO's 'Real Time.'

Ed Sheeran is scheduled to perform on Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Artists in Gaza painted a mural of Macklemore in a Palestinian flag in the rubble of Gaza City.

Finneas, brother and collaborator of Billie Eilish, dropped out of Sheeran's tour earlier in the week.

Kraft responded that he had already committed $2 million to Palestinian aid in the region.

Ms. Rachel's real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso.

Accurso suggested silence to the cause was "racist."

Jonathan Mann said the game highlights the absurdity of Macklemore being dropped from Sheeran's concerts and Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Jonathan Mann created a video game called 'Super Macklemore 64' in which players are chased by a giant Ed Sheeran and dodge tiny billionaire Robert Krafts.

Ed Sheeran was the opening act for the North American leg of Taylor Swift's Red Tour in 2013.

The cheapest available ticket price for Macklemore's Red Rocks show rose 45% in three days, from $108 to $157.

Macklemore announced he will donate his $1 million in earnings from the tour to Palestinian aid organizations.

Sheeran's most recent tour grossed $875.7 million and sold 8.8 million tickets according to Billboard.

The remaining supporting acts on Ed Sheeran's tour, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga, withdrew amid the controversy.

Macklemore pledged to donate $1 million he earned from Ed Sheeran's tour to six organizations supporting Palestinians.

Robert Kraft confirmed that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium.

Huckabee said Macklemore has become the voice of Jew hatred and taken a pro-Hamas position.

Huckabee said there is extraordinary Jew hatred taking place in Canada.

Huckabee said he supports NFL owners pushing to cancel Macklemore's performances.

All four of Sheeran's other supporting acts — Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga and Danish band Lukas Graham — announced on Instagram that they were withdrawing from the tour.

Kraft said Sheeran called him before Macklemore publicly challenged Kraft to match a $1 million donation the rapper said he would make to Palestinian relief organizations.

Robert Kraft is the owner of the New England Patriots NFL football team.

Kraft said he refused to host Macklemore at Gillette Stadium.

Robert Kraft pledged $2 million for humanitarian relief.

Kraft said he has supported efforts for decades that create opportunity for Palestinians and has brought young Palestinians and Israelis together.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez denounced Kraft's choice as "censorship" against "the genocide in Gaza."

Sheeran said he respects Macklemore's strength of purpose and does not use his own platform for politics.

Macklemore said criticism of Israel was not intended as criticism of "my Jewish brothers and sisters."

The Kennedy Center board voted unanimously to close the center unless Trump's name is added to the building.

Robert Kraft banned Macklemore from performing as a supporting act for Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium.

Kraft built the only 100% privately financed stadium in the NFL.

Colin Kaepernick accused NFL owners of colluding against Macklemore after the rapper was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour over comments he made onstage about Palestine.

All four supporting acts for upcoming dates of Sheeran's tour withdrew in support of Macklemore.

Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem during the 2016 NFL season in protest at police brutality and social injustice.

An Irish radio station announced on Thursday that it would no longer play Ed Sheeran's music for the foreseeable future.

Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 4 and 5 and performed his song "Hind's Hall" during his opening act.

Pro-Palestine groups Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z planned a protest outside of Sheeran's Philadelphia concert.

Ed Sheeran said he does not use his professional platform for politics because his audience includes young people of all backgrounds.

Macklemore said that if his words succeeded in turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour he had ever been on.

The controversy began on 4 September, when Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran's concert at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Macklemore was dropped from the inaugural Neon City Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Macklemore faced backlash for wearing a costume including a black wig, beard, and fake nose at The Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, which some claimed was anti-Semitic.

Macklemore apologized and said his costume was not intended to reflect a caricature of a Jewish man but was a disguise.

Macklemore alleged that Kraft pressured Sheeran to remove him by telling the singer he would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium and by rallying other stadium owners to issue a similar ultimatum.

Ed Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour was made by the tour promoter and venue owners, not by him personally.

Robert Kraft confirmed he opposed Macklemore's participation at Gillette Stadium, citing what he described as Macklemore's history of antisemitic rhetoric.

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., expressed support for Macklemore on X.

Macklemore was scheduled to appear at eight of the ten remaining shows on the US leg of Sheeran's tour.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., expressed support for Macklemore and criticized his removal from the tour.

Kraft said the decision to ban Macklemore was not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians.

Several supporting acts quit Sheeran's tour after Macklemore's removal, including Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Finneas.

Ed Sheeran blamed the promoter of his US tour for the decision to drop Macklemore.