Messina Touring Group announced on a Monday that the performer Macklemore has been removed from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran's U.S. Loop Tour. The decision followed on-stage statements Macklemore made regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his opening sets earlier in the month. The promoter stated that several venues notified them they would not permit concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the lineup, which the promoter said would have led to tour cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
During his performances, Macklemore expressed support for Palestinian causes, stating to the audience that a primary reason for joining the tour was to say "Free Palestine" in stadiums. According to social media clips, he also performed "Hind's Hall," a song named after a Columbia University building renamed by protesters during pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Following these performances, the Israeli American Council (IAC) launched a petition for his removal, and the Anti-Defamation League characterized his comments as unacceptable.
Macklemore responded to his removal on social media, stating that he has lost money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, and relationships due to his stance. He claimed his removal occurred after Ed Sheeran received a phone call from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose team owns one of the stadiums on the tour route. Macklemore wrote that while "antisemitism is real," criticism of Israel and Zionism should not be conflated with hatred of Jewish people. Robert Kraft has since responded to these allegations.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) criticized the removal, with Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell calling on Sheeran and promoters to reverse the decision. Mitchell described the situation as "bullying by billionaires" and an "attack on free speech." Conversely, the IAC stated that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from responsibility, arguing that the concert stage was being used for "anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda" that presented the conflict one-sidedly.
For concert-goers and workers, the situation involves the role of venue owners and stakeholders in determining the lineup of major commercial tours based on the political speech of performers. The source does not report whether Sheeran or the promoter will face legal action or if ticket holders will be offered refunds.
The incident highlights a divide between advocacy groups regarding the definition of antisemitism versus political criticism. While CAIR called for Sheeran to stand with Macklemore, the IAC argued the performer crossed a line into propaganda. The specific dates for the remaining tour stops and the official effective date of Macklemore's departure were not reported beyond the Monday announcement. It is currently unknown if a replacement opening act will be named for the remaining U.S. dates.