Macklemore Calls Out ‘Free Palestine’ Onstage, Spurring Petition Demanding He Leave Ed Sheeran Tour

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) has called for Ed Sheeran and his management to remove rapper Macklemore from the remainder of their tour after he used his opening set at a concert in New Jersey to spread what the IAC considers to be anti-Zionist and antisemitic propaganda. During the performance, Macklemore called for "Free Palestine" and showed footage from Gaza and pro-Palestinian encampments on the stadium screens.

Jewish patrons expressed their dissatisfaction with the incident, stating that they should not have to be subjected to such propaganda. The IAC, which represents over 150,000 Israeli-Americans, argues that while Macklemore has the right to hold political views, there must be a limit when an opening act uses a global concert platform to push a one-sided political agenda.

The IAC also criticized Macklemore for wearing an Orthodox Jewish costume with a prosthetic nose and performing a song named after a protest that involved trespassing and violations of the law, which they consider to be in direct conflict with core American values. In addition to removing Macklemore from the remaining tour dates, the IAC has called for the establishment of clear boundaries regarding the use of concert stages as platforms for political messaging.