Ed Sheeran facing backlash after Macklemore, support acts exit: Here’s everything you need to know
He said he was appalled by the suffering caused by the conflict but prefers to support causes privately and wants his concerts to remain a "place of safety and sanctuary" for fans.
Ed Sheeran says he did not decide to remove Macklemore from his US tour and has defended his decision to keep politics off his stage, but the British singer-songwriter is facing growing criticism after all four remaining support acts withdrew in solidarity with the American rapper and Palestine.
The controversy began after Macklemore said "Free Palestine" during a 4 September performance at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium while performing his protest song "Hind's Hall", which honours pro-Palestinian student protesters and criticises Israeli military action in Gaza.
Macklemore was subsequently removed from the remaining US dates of Sheeran's Loop Tour after several venues reportedly objected to his participation.
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Sheeran said the decision was made by the tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, rather than by him. He said he had spent the week trying to negotiate with venues and find a compromise.
The pop star has also mentioned that he does not use his professional platform for politics. He said he was appalled by the suffering caused by the conflict but prefers to support causes privately and wants his concerts to remain a "place of safety and sanctuary" for fans.
That position has become a central point of criticism.
For some of his fellow artists, the issue is not simply whether Sheeran personally ordered Macklemore's removal, but whether remaining neutral allows promoters and venue owners to decide which political views can be expressed on stage.
How the artists responded
The backlash intensified when all four remaining support acts announced that they were leaving the tour.
Musician Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother and collaborator, who was due to perform with Sheeran in South America, said in a statement shared on social media, "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed."
He added that he stood with Palestine and its people.
Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe said leaving the tour was a painful decision because of his friendship with Sheeran, but cited Ireland's history of colonialism, famine, and occupation in explaining his decision.
Irish folk band Beoga, which performs with Sheeran during his sets, said performing at venues that silence advocates for a free Palestine was "simply not an option".
Danish band Lukas Graham also announced its departure, criticising the influence of wealthy venue owners and saying: "Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."
The departures leave Sheeran without his previously announced opening acts and touring support for the remaining US dates.
Why was Macklemore removed?
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, had been scheduled to perform at eight of Sheeran's remaining 10 US stadium shows.
His removal followed his 4 September appearance at MetLife Stadium, where he performed "Hind's Hall" and called for a "Free Palestine". Video footage showing devastation in Gaza accompanied the performance.
The following evening, Macklemore addressed Jewish audience members and said his criticism of Israel, apartheid or genocide was not intended as criticism of Jewish people.
His comments drew backlash from pro-Israeli groups, including the Israeli American Council and StopAntisemitism. Musician Pink also criticised Macklemore and highlighted a 2014 costume he wore that was criticised as invoking anti-Semitic stereotypes. Macklemore later apologised for the costume.
Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, opposed Macklemore appearing at the stadium, citing what he described as a broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery.
Kraft also said he had a responsibility to speak out when he believed a line had been crossed.
Macklemore has rejected accusations that his comments were anti-Semitic, arguing that criticism of Israel's actions should not be conflated with hatred of Jewish people.
In an Instagram statement on 14 September, the rapper himself said Sheeran and his team had decided to remove him from the tour, alleging that pressure from venue owners had influenced the decision.
He said his pro-Palestinian remarks had become "too much of a risk" given the scale of Sheeran's tour, arguing that artists face professional and financial consequences for speaking out.
"There is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed," he wrote.
A debate beyond Macklemore
The dispute has now expanded beyond whether Macklemore should have remained on Sheeran's tour.
At its centre is a broader debate over whether artists can remain politically neutral when political expression can affect who is allowed to perform at major venues.
Sheeran has framed his position as an attempt to keep his concerts separate from political disputes and provide a safe space for audiences. His departing support acts, however, have taken the opposite view, arguing that artists should be able to speak publicly about issues they consider human rights matters.
Macklemore praised the musicians who left the tour, saying their decisions came at a personal and professional cost but helped keep attention on Palestinians.
Social-media reactions have been divided, with some users criticising Sheeran's decision to remain publicly neutral and others defending his right to keep political issues out of his performances.
Some commenters argued that refusing to take a position can itself carry political implications, while others said Sheeran should not be held responsible for a decision he says was made by the promoter and venues.
Macklemore has also received public support from artists and activists.
On Instagram, singer Kehlani expressed support for Macklemore, while climate activist Greta Thunberg commented on one of his posts, writing, "Full solidarity and free Palestine."
The dispute has therefore become less about a single concert line-up and more about the limits of artistic neutrality: whether staying out of politics is possible when promoters, venues, artists and audiences are themselves taking political positions.
Ultimately, Sheeran said his decision to keep politics off his stage should not be mistaken for indifference to the conflict.
Describing the suffering on both sides as a "human tragedy", he said he had spent the week trying to "build bridges" and find a solution by speaking with venues and people on both sides, but was unsuccessful.
He noted that his concerts should remain a "place of safety and sanctuary" for everyone and said he would not abandon fans who had made plans for the shows or the touring crew and musicians who depended on the tour for work.
