American rapper Macklemore has been removed from the U.S. leg of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour following his public support for Palestine and his “Free Palestine” remarks during a concert in New Jersey.
Macklemore made the comments while performing at MetLife Stadium , telling the audience that he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten. He also performed his protest song Hind’s Hall, which has become associated with his support for Palestinians.
Meanwhile .the promoter of Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour, several venues informed organizers that they would not allow concerts featuring Macklemore to take place. The promoter said keeping him on the lineup could have resulted in the cancellation of upcoming shows, leading to his removal from the remaining support dates.
The controversy intensified after the Israeli-American Council launched a campaign calling for Macklemore to be removed from the tour following his comments about Palestine and Israel.
Ed Sheeran has since addressed the controversy, saying that Macklemore’s removal was not his decision. Sheeran said the decision was made by the tour promoter and venues after some stadiums indicated that they would not host concerts with Macklemore on the lineup. He also said he had tried to resolve the situation and described his shows as spaces intended to bring people together rather than serve as political platforms.
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