Robert Kraft Calls Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ Statements ‘Deeply Offensive’: ‘A Line Had Been Crossed’
The Gillette Stadium owner released a statement explaining why he helped lead the call for the rapper's removal from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour.
Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, has criticized Macklemore's statements endorsing "Free Palestine" during a recent concert as "deeply offensive and hurtful" to the Jewish community. This came after the NFL promoter, Messina Touring Group, announced that they would not allow Macklemore to perform on the U.S. leg of Ed Sheeran's tour at various NFL venues, including Kraft's Gillette Stadium.
The controversy began during a MetLife Stadium performance on September 14, when Macklemore publicly expressed his support for the Palestinian cause from the stage. In response, Macklemore claimed that he and Sheeran were given an ultimatum by Kraft and other NFL owners who threatened to cancel the tour if Macklemore remained on the bill.
Kraft defended his decision, stating that while he acknowledges the suffering of Palestinians, he believes Macklemore's actions "crossed the line" by ignoring the actions of Hamas and promoting divisiveness and hate.
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