Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After “Free Palestine” Remarks

American rapper Macklemore will no longer be supporting Ed Sheeran‘s Loop Tour amid a backlash against his “free Palestine” pleas.

As the 4x Grammy winner took the stage for Sheeran’s tour earlier this month at MetLife Stadium, he called for “safety and peace” for all before performing his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”

He later emphasized that his support for Palestinians is “in no way a criticism” of Jewish people. “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters; criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, in no way is a criticism of you,” he said on stage.

In a stament, first shared with Rolling Stone, Messina Touring Group, promoter of the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, said: “As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

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