Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” message at an Ed Sheeran concert has sparked a push to have him removed from the rest of the tour.
While opening for Sheeran at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Friday, the Grammy winner performed his protest track “Hind’s Hall” and then addressed the crowd directly.
“I wanted to do this tour in the first place so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” said Macklemore, before going on to say he believes people everywhere deserve to “know safety and peace before they know the sound of violence,” while also speaking about families living with war and fear.
Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium wearing a keffiyeh, performed "Hind's Hall" with Gaza footage on the screens, and told 80,000 people he wanted those in Gaza and the West Bank to know "they have not been forgotten."
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 6, 2026
He said every human being deserves "the… pic.twitter.com/4J7fB1zEI4
The rapper told the audience he did not want personal discomfort to silence him.
“If I let that fear I felt on the plane yesterday stop me from speaking my heart,” he said, “that is the day I no longer continue to be on stage.”
His comments quickly drew a response from the Israeli-American Council, which launched a petition calling for his removal from Sheeran’s remaining tour dates.
Here we go again – despite massive backlash surrounding Macklemore opening for @edsheeran, a repeat occurred a few moments ago at @MetLifeStadium in New Jersey.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) September 6, 2026
Jewish patrons should not be subjected to this propaganda. pic.twitter.com/dRvFkHWA2T
“This was an Ed Sheeran concert, not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event,” the petition reads.
The group also asked tour organizers to clarify whether Macklemore’s remarks, visuals and “Hind’s Hall” performance had been approved beforehand.