US rapper Macklemore launches Free Palestine Tour in Ireland after Ed Sheeran rift

US rapper Macklemore inaugurated his "Free Palestine Tour" in Dublin on Monday, following his removal from Ed Sheeran's supporting act due to pro-Palestinian remarks. Promoters reported that the first show in Ireland's capital had sold out. Fans outside the 3Arena, the concert venue, expressed admiration for Macklemore's stance.

Michael Keating, a 31-year-old insurance worker, stated, "Macklemore's support for Palestine is huge. He's stood up and he's put himself on the line instead of taking the easy way out." The singer was excluded from Sheeran's US tour after shouting "Free Palestine!" on stage and asserting that Palestinians were "not forgotten." Sheeran claimed the decision to drop Macklemore was made by promoters, a claim that sparked backlash from musicians and pro-Palestinian activists.

Grainne Healy, a 60-year-old retiree, remarked, "The USA is supposed to be the country of free speech and instead people are being shut down. [Sheeran] should have stood up for what Macklemore was doing." Four other artists, including Finneas, also exited Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran later addressed the Gaza situation during a Philadelphia concert, deeming it "unjustifiable and disproportionate."

Macklemore initiated his Free Palestine Tour, with shows in London and Paris planned for late October, and additional US dates, promising that all proceeds would support pro-Palestinian organizations. Fans at the Dublin show adorned themselves with half-Irish half-Palestinian flags, Free Palestine merchandise, and keffiyeh scarves.

Freya Dorrity, an 18-year-old student, expressed her appreciation for Macklemore's activism, saying, "Ever since [Macklemore] started talking about Palestine, it makes us like him even more." Maria Liddy, a 40-year-old concert attendee, added, "Artists should never be censored in any capacity."