Ed Sheeran Calls Gaza War 'Catastrophic' Amid Tour Turmoil
Sheeran said the promoter removed Macklemore after venues threatened to pull shows, and four supporting acts later quit in solidarity.
- On Saturday, September 19, 2026, Ed Sheeran performed solo at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field after all four support acts withdrew from his Loop Tour. The concert proceeded as scheduled despite the lineup shakeup and planned pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside the venue.
- Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour after his September 4 'Free Palestine' remarks at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. Macklemore alleged New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft orchestrated his removal by issuing an ultimatum to tour organizers.
- Following Macklemore's exit, support acts Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and the band Beoga withdrew from remaining dates in solidarity. TicketData reported 7,500 tickets remained available before the concert, with resale prices dropping significantly amid the controversy.
- During his performance, Sheeran stated he was 'not complicit' in Macklemore's removal and blamed tour promoters for the decision. Outside the stadium, demonstrators gathered, with protester Donna Greenberg describing the event as 'a cultural watershed moment' for Palestinian advocacy.
- With 16 shows remaining through December across North and South America, tour organizers face ongoing challenges maintaining venue stability. Protesters have extended calls for boycotting Sheeran's entire world tour, including upcoming Latin American dates, as industry tensions persist.
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575 Articles
Ed Sheeran expresses sympathy for both Jews and Palestinians at first tour stop since Macklemore was dropped
The pop star performed largely solo after his touring band withdrew and he said friends and family “abandoned me” over Macklemore’s ouster for anti-Israel comments.
The singer, who had so far maintained an apolitical stance, broke his silence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his first concert since the controversy involving the American rapper Macklemore.
After the controversy over Macklemore's escape from the artist's pro-Palestinian tour, the British artist took a stand on Saturday to denounce the "disastrophic" situation in the Gaza StripEd Sheeran assured that the situation in Gaza was "unjustifiable" and recognized "mistakes" Saturday night in Philadelphia, during his first concert since the controversy over the eviction of his tour of rapper Macklemore, who had made pro-Palestinian remarks.…
Ed Sheeran spoke about the situation in Gaza during his concert in Philadelphia, where he also referred to the controversy over Macklemore's departure from his tour.
The British singer-songwriter broke his apolitical stance to talk about the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and freedom of speech on campuses.
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