- September 18, 2026 4:01 am
The US leg of Ed Sheeran’s international tour has seen multiple supporting acts withdraw in protest following the removal of rapper Macklemore. Finneas, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Irish band Beoga, and Danish band Lukas Graham have all quit their opening slots.
The withdrawals came after Macklemore was dropped from the tour’s US dates. The decision followed his on-stage support for Palestine during shows in New Jersey, which led to criticism and a petition against his appearances.
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, stated that Macklemore would be barred from performing at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts due to his “recent actions, material shared from the stage… and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.” Macklemore announced on Instagram that he had been removed from the rest of Sheeran’s American tour dates, placing the blame on Kraft.
Sheeran himself commented on the situation via Instagram, stating that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by promoters. “After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting,” he said. “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.” The promoter did not respond to a request for comment, according to CNN.
Macklemore, known for his 2012 hit “Thrift Shop,” has publicly advocated for Palestinian rights. During a show in New Jersey, he wore a keffiyeh and stated, “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place, was so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine.” He also addressed his Jewish audience, stating that “criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.”
Kraft, an advocate for Israel, confirmed he made the decision to cancel Macklemore’s performances at Gillette Stadium. He stated, “This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf.” He added that “only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate.”
The New England Patriots owner later stated that Sheeran had asked him to donate $2 million to aid in the region to fight the humanitarian crisis, a pledge Kraft confirmed he would make. Macklemore himself announced he would donate $1 million of his net earnings from the tour to Palestinian organisations.
In 2014, Macklemore apologised for wearing a hooked false nose, wig, and fake beard in a costume that was widely interpreted as an antisemitic caricature. Kraft did not specify if this incident was part of his reasoning when accusing Macklemore of past antisemitism.
Pink, who had previously reposted a call for Macklemore to be dropped from the tour, later explained her position. She stated that her repost was not about the phrase “Free Palestine” but about Macklemore’s statements on stage in response to criticism, which she found alarming as a Jewish woman. “You don’t get to decide that for us,” she wrote in a lengthy social media post.
CNN reported on the initial withdrawals and statements from the parties involved.
BBC News further detailed the requested donations and the exchange between Kraft and Macklemore.
The opening acts, including Finneas and Lukas Graham, withdrew in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour’s US dates after making pro-Palestinian statements on stage.
Ed Sheeran stated that the decision was made by the tour promoters, while New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed he barred Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium.
Macklemore has publicly advocated for Palestinian rights, calling for a “free Palestine” and stating his criticism is of Israeli policy, not of Jewish people.
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