Lorde Wears "Free Palestine" Jacket, Escalates Protest Against Robert Kraft
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Singer Lorde wore a "Free Palestine" jacket at a Texas festival and posted it on Instagram, tagging billionaire Robert Kraft. This protest relates to Kraft's alleged role in removing rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's tour for pro-Palestinian statements. Macklemore and other artists withdrew, pledging donations to Palestinian aid, while Kraft and Sheeran also committed funds. Lorde has a history of pro-Palestinian activism.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Singer Lorde wore a "Free Palestine" jacket at the Austin City Limits festival in Texas.
- Lorde's protest targets billionaire Robert Kraft over his alleged role in Macklemore's tour removal.
- Rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour for pro-Palestinian statements.
- Macklemore and other artists withdrew from the tour, pledging donations to Palestinian aid.
- Kraft and Sheeran committed to donating $2 million for humanitarian aid in the region.
- Lorde has previously supported Palestinian causes and participated in boycotts.
Singer Lorde publicly expressed her support for Palestine during a performance at the Austin City Limits festival in Texas on Saturday. She wore a white jacket emblazoned with "FREE PALESTINE!!!!!!" in large letters. On Monday, she further amplified her message by posting a photo of the jacket on Instagram, tagging a fan account associated with American billionaire Robert Kraft.
Lorde's protest is a direct response to Kraft's alleged involvement in the controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran's tour. In September, rapper Macklemore was removed as a supporting act for Sheeran after calling for the liberation of Palestine and displaying images of destruction in Gaza during a New Jersey concert. Kraft, a known supporter of Israel and the IDF, reportedly collaborated with other stadium owners to threaten Sheeran with concert cancellations if Macklemore was not dropped.
Following Macklemore's removal, he pledged to donate his $1 million earnings from the tour to Palestinian aid. In solidarity, other opening acts for Sheeran, including Phineas, Aaron Rowe, and Lucas Graham, also withdrew from the tour. Amid public backlash, Kraft and Sheeran committed to jointly donating $2 million for humanitarian aid in the region. Kraft stated that Macklemore's removal was not intended to diminish Palestinian suffering but argued that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community.
Macklemore has since announced an independent "Free Palestine Tour," which has already sold out. All proceeds will go to 12 different organizations, including "Jewish Voice for Peace" and Palestinian medical aid. Lorde's activism for Palestine is not new; she previously called for Palestine's liberation at Madison Square Garden and participated in the "No Music for Genocide" boycott in 2025, which encouraged artists to block their work from Israeli streaming services. Bands like Massive Attack and Fontaines D.C. also joined this boycott.
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Coverage from Israel Hayom