Ed Sheeran Clarifies Gaza Stance, Again Blames Venues for Kicking Macklemore Off Tour

Ed Sheeran addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza and Macklemore's removal from his tour during his headlining performance in Philadelphia on Saturday. Sheeran, who never sought to become an activist musician, explained that the expulsion of Macklemore and the departure of his support acts and backing band had put him "in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet."

He expressed deep concern over venues pre-approving performers' content and criticized the act, stating it should never occur in a free world. Macklemore accused Sheeran of being pressured by the Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft to drop him as an opener, but Kraft denied this and did not address the rapper's claim of rallying other tour venues to follow suit.

Sheeran pledged to donate $1 million of the tour's net earnings to six organizations supporting Palestinian aid and challenged Kraft to match the donation. The Phillies' owner donated $2 million to the same charities Macklemore was supporting, though the Patriots' ownership has not specified if the funds are going to the same charities.

During his set, Sheeran also discussed the October 7 events in Israel and Gaza, calling both horrific and unjustifiable while emphasizing the systemic injustice in the West Bank. He expressed gratitude for the fans who attended his show despite the controversy and faced backlash from not canceling the remaining tour dates.