Ed Sheeran calls situation in Palestine ‘catastrophic and unjustifiable’ at solo concert
Singer Ed Sheeran opened a solo concert in Philadelphia on Saturday by addressing the recent fallout over the removal of his tour’s opening act, Macklemore, due to the rapper’s pro-Palestinian comments. “I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be...
Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding his tour's opening act, Macklemore, at a solo concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. Macklemore was dropped from the US tour after making pro-Palestinian comments on stage. Sheeran apologized to fans for making mistakes and said he has traditionally stayed out of politics.
Sheeran referenced the Israel-Hamas war, specifically the massacre at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023, which he described as "horrific" and a compounding of "centuries of Jewish pain". According to ABC News (US), he also stated that the situation in Gaza is "catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate".
The English superstar said he has been put in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and a complex political issue. He expressed that his heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss. Sheeran has not always wanted to be an activist musician, but recent events have led him to speak out.
Brief written by urgent.news from The Hill, ABC News (US) — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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