Ed Sheeran’s blockbuster Loop US stadium tour is into its fourth month on the road, but since its first September stops at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium the run has found itself at the centre of political discourse. US rapper Macklemore announced this evening that he has been removed from the tour following pro-Palestinian demonstrations during his sets in East Rutherford, NJ. The protests started a wave of high-profile online backlash, with artists like singer Pink demanding his withdrawal, while others including Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson have stood in support of Macklemore.
English chart-topping singer-songwriter Sheeran started the Loop Tour in support of his 2025 UK Number One Album ‘Play’ this January, visiting New Zealand, Australia and Latin America in the first half of the year. The North American leg kicked off in June, with British star Myles Smith acting as lead support act for the majority of dates until the last August show in Detroit, Michigan.
Macklemore was scheduled to be main support for the second stretch, with September’s shows starting with two nights at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium, followed by one at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field and two at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During both shows at the MetLife Stadium on September 4 and 5, he opened his pro-Palestine protest song ‘Hind’s Hall’ with a passionate speech addressing the worsening situations in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In the break from the music, he said he wanted the people of Palestine to know “they have not been forgotten”, and spoke of other global issues, adding “I say Free Palestine, free Cuba, Congo, Sudan and Iran and all the people of America who live in fear because of this terrorist organisation ICE.” In the conflict following on from the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack in 2023, it has been concluded that Israel are committing genocide in Palestine by both the United Nations and Amnesty International, and the British Government have placed sanctions on illegal Israeli West Bank settlements in recent weeks. The Israeli government denies all allegations regarding genocide and war crimes.
Macklemore’s actions were met with outrage by Israeli and Jewish groups including the Israeli American Council, which started a petition to Sheeran and his management team to drop the rapper from the remaining tour dates. Singer Pink (stylised P!NK) shared a post by page StopAntisemitism calling for Macklemore’s removal, before writing her own feelings about the effect of the incident on Jewish-Americans in an Instagram update. Her comment says in-part “You don’t have to agree with one thing Israel’s government does to not want the Jewish family two rows down from you to be scared or targeted at a concert.”
This evening, Macklemore announced on social media that he had been removed from all future dates of the Loop Tour, citing that the decision was made by “Ed Sheeran and his team”. In the post, he alleges that in conversation with Sheeran he found out that Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the Gillette Stadium – which was set to host the next two dates of the tour, would block the events if Macklemore was performing. In his own words, “Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.” Macklemore clarifies in the piece that there is no ill-feeling with Ed Sheeran, and cements his philosophy that the two shows he played were worth it to send his message: “Free Palestine.”
Many figures in music have backed Macklemore’s resolve throughout, including Garbage singer Shirley Manson, who described his dismissal in an Instagram post as “madness. Sheer madness.” and Foo Fighter’s guitarist Chris Shiflett, who in conversation on the matter on X with blues artist Joe Bonamassa wrote “maybe speaking out against genocide trumps etiquette.” Elsewhere, Macklemore’s Instagram comments have seen replies from stars including UK rock group Bob Vylan frontman Bobby Vylan, who quoted the line “There is no thanks for a duty”. Bobby Vylan was at the centre of a year-long investigation by the Met Police, following his pro-Palestine speech and chants of “death to the IDF” during the band’s 2025 Glastonbury appearance – the Met Police announced in August that they will be taking no further action.
Messina Touring Group, who are the promoter for the US Loop Tour dates, told Rolling Stone that they had been informed by the venues that shows would not go ahead with Macklemore on the bill, and confirmed that the tour will continue without him. Variety have since published a statement by Robert Kraft explaining his reasoning for axing Macklemore, which says “Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech.”
For Ed Sheeran, the show must go on. His remaining shows for September are at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA on the 19th, and the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA on the 25th and 26th.
