A campaign to remove Macklemore from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour has not changed what the Seattle rapper is saying onstage. After his pro-Palestinian remarks during two shows at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium drew criticism and prompted a petition asking Sheeran to drop him as an opener, Macklemore defended the message while rejecting claims that his criticism of Israel was directed at Jewish people.
The dispute began during the Sept. 4 show, when Macklemore told the crowd that part of his reason for joining Sheeran’s stadium tour was the opportunity to say “Free Palestine” before large audiences. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he said people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank had not been forgotten. He then performed his 2024 protest record “Hind’s Hall” as footage from Gaza and pro-Palestinian demonstrations appeared on the screens behind him.
By the following night, the response to his set had already begun spreading online. Macklemore addressed Jewish listeners directly during his Sept. 5 performance, saying criticism of Israel and his opposition to what he described as apartheid and genocide were “in no way a criticism” of Jewish people. He said his message was rooted in peace and equal treatment before calling for freedom for Palestinians and people in several other countries.
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Petition Asks Ed Sheeran To Remove Macklemore From Remaining Shows
The Israeli-American Council subsequently launched a petition asking Sheeran and tour organizers to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates. The organization argued that an Ed Sheeran concert should not be used by an opening act to promote what it described as a “one-sided political agenda,” while also objecting to the imagery shown during “Hind’s Hall.”
“This was an Ed Sheeran concert, not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event,” the petition states. The group also urged tour organizers to set clearer limits on political messaging during performances. The group has not made a specific signature total public.
Meanwhile, Macklemore's support for Palestinians predates the Sheeran tour. He released “Hind’s Hall” in May 2024 amid pro-Palestinian student demonstrations at Columbia University and other campuses. The title references Hind Rajab, the Palestinian child killed in Gaza whose name protesters used when temporarily renaming Columbia’s Hamilton Hall. Macklemore pledged the song's proceeds to UNRWA USA, which supports humanitarian assistance for Palestinian refugees.
