Ed Sheeran calls Gaza war 'unjustifiable' at Philadelphia gig after Macklemore tour dispute

Ed Sheeran told a Philadelphia crowd on Saturday night that the situation in Gaza is "catastrophic and unjustifiable", breaking his silence after a week of controversy that saw his opening act fired and his entire supporting lineup walk out in protest.

Performing solo at Lincoln Financial Field, Sheeran apologised to fans for "making mistakes" during a turbulent week. The British singer has faced intense criticism and boycott calls since his tour promoter dropped US rapper Macklemore from the tour over pro-Palestinian remarks made during a New Jersey show earlier this month.

"I never wanted to be an activist musician," Sheeran told the audience. "But this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about free speech and the most complex political issue on the planet." While he condemned the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel as "horrific", he said the subsequent military action in Gaza was "disproportionate" and spoke of "systemic injustice" in the West Bank.

Why was Macklemore dropped?

The crisis erupted when stadium owners, led by billionaire Robert Kraft—who owns the New England Patriots and Boston's Gillette Stadium—objected to Macklemore shouting "Free Palestine" on stage. Kraft accused the rapper of hate speech and banned him from performing at his venue.

Tour promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently dropped Macklemore from the tour entirely, stating that several venues would have cancelled the concerts otherwise. Sheeran has denied being behind the decision, blaming the promoters and stadium owners for the move.

Supporting acts walk out

The decision to drop Macklemore triggered a wave of walkouts from other artists on the bill. Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop group Lukas Graham, Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, and American producer Finneas all pulled out of the tour in solidarity, leaving Sheeran to perform the Philadelphia show entirely alone.

Outside the venue on Saturday, a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered, waving flags and urging fans to boycott the remainder of the tour. Inside, the crowd was thinner than usual. Ticket prices on secondary markets plummeted to as low as $32 (24) in the run-up to the concert, and some fans reported receiving refunds.

What happens next?

The controversy has also turned into a financial battle of pledges. Macklemore announced he would donate $1 million from his tour earnings to Palestinian relief efforts, challenging Kraft to match it. Sheeran and Kraft have reportedly agreed to contribute a collective $2 million, though they have not yet detailed which organisations will receive the funds.

Sheeran’s Loop Tour is scheduled to continue through North and South America, ending in Mexico City in December. It remains unclear whether any new supporting acts will join the tour to replace those who walked out.