All Sheeran Support Acts Quit Tour Over Macklemore Removal — SkimNews
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- Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's US stadium tour after calling for a free Palestine on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and claimed New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft organized the boycott across all venues.
- Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium, confirmed he barred Macklemore from Gillette but denied organizing the other venues' boycotts; Kraft is friends with Trump and a major Israel donor whom Netanyahu called "Israel does not have a more loyal friend" at a 2019 ceremony.
- Ed Sheeran defended his apolitical stance but admitted the decision to remove Macklemore wasn't his, despite having previously performed at the 2022 Concert for Ukraine, signed an open letter to Theresa May on Brexit, endorsed Jeremy Corbyn, and backed the US equality act.
- Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Sheeran's Irish backing band Beoga all pulled out of the remaining tour dates to protest the censorship and express support for Palestinians.
- Aaron Rowe, the smallest support act with the most to lose financially, said "as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation" and needed to be true to himself and ancestors who resisted colonisation.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned the precedent is dangerous, saying "a handful of stadium owners can prevent discussion of an entire massive issue" like Gaza, where Israel's military offensive is estimated to have caused 70,000 deaths.
- Macklemore's New Jersey set introduced his 2024 song "Hind's Hall," which castigates censorship of protest against Israel's actions and is named after five-year-old Hind Rajab, killed by Israeli forces.
Why it matters: Every act on Sheeran's tour except the headliner chose to sacrifice paychecks and professional standing to protest one artist's removal — a real-time demonstration of the precedent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez flagged, that billionaire stadium owners like Kraft can suppress mass discussion of Gaza through venue access, not legislation. For artists who claim neutrality, the walkout makes the cost of staying silent materially visible.
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