Israeli-American Group Demands Ed Sheeran Drop Rapper Macklemore Over Pro-Palestine Speech

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) has launched a petition calling on British singer Ed Sheeran and his tour management to remove rapper Macklemore from upcoming shows. The demand follows Macklemore's pro-Palestinian speech delivered during his opening act at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last Thursday.

Macklemore used his performance slot to advocate for Palestine, concluding with a "Free Palestine" call and performing his protest song "Hind's Hall." During the song, images from Gaza and pro-Palestinian demonstrations were displayed on screens behind him. The IAC petition argues that Sheeran's concert was not a political rally and that Macklemore's actions were inappropriate for the stage, stating, "Your show, your stage, your responsibility."

The IAC urges Sheeran, Loop Tour management, and the hosting stadiums to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates and establish clear boundaries for political messaging on their platforms. The organization also encourages the public to contact Live Nation to address the issue.

Macklemore's speech included remarks expressing solidarity with people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, stating, "I think every person walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom - to know security and peace before they know the sounds of violence, and to know the sound of laughter in the playground before planes and bombs."

The song "Hind's Hall," released in May 2024, is named after Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Gazan girl killed by Israeli fire. The song's title was adopted by pro-Palestinian students who occupied Hamilton Hall at Columbia University. Macklemore announced that streaming revenue from the song would be donated to UNRWA.

Macklemore reportedly reiterated similar messages during Sheeran's second show at MetLife on Saturday. As of this report, Ed Sheeran has not publicly commented on Macklemore's speech, and Macklemore remains listed as an opening act on Sheeran's official website.