All Support Acts Quit Ed Sheeran Tour After Macklemore Palestine Removal

General23 sourcesSep 16, 2026

SplitFactual rigor 58/100

The Story

All remaining support acts for Ed Sheeran's US Loop Tour withdrew on Tuesday, September 16, 2026, in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from the tour.

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was removed from the tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks during two concerts in New Jersey earlier this month at MetLife Stadium. He called for "Free Palestine," performed his protest song "Hind's Hall" with images from Gaza, and wore a black-and-white keffiyeh. Macklemore stated that criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you to Jewish audience members.

Tour promoter Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore after criticism from Jewish organizations and pressure from venues, with Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, stating he would bar Macklemore from performing at his venue. Ed Sheeran stated on Instagram that Macklemore's removal was the promoter's decision, not his, and denied complicity.

He expressed being appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine but avoids using his concerts as a political platform. The withdrawing artists include Finneas, Myles Smith, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga. Finneas stated, "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I stand with Palestine and its people." Aaron Rowe and Beoga cited their Irish heritage and understanding of colonialism as reasons for their withdrawal. Billy Bragg suggested Sheeran cancel his tour to protest billionaire stadium owners, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) announced she would boycott Sheeran.

What they agree on

All remaining support acts for Ed Sheeran's US Loop Tour withdrew on Tuesday, September 16, 2026, in solidarity with rapper Macklemore.
Macklemore was removed from the tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks, including shouting "Free Palestine" and performing his song "Hind's Hall," during concerts in New Jersey earlier this month.
Ed Sheeran stated that Macklemore's removal was the tour promoter's decision, not his, and denied complicity in the matter.
Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, played a role in Macklemore's removal by threatening to bar his performance at his venue.
The withdrawing artists, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga, and Lukas Graham, cited reasons such as artists' right to speak for the oppressed and their own understanding of colonialism.

Where they split

Some outlets, such as The Daily Beast and Breitbart News, emphasize the "chaos" or "shake-ups" to Sheeran's tour, while others like Al Jazeera and Daily Sabah focus more on the broader debate over artists' right to speak about Palestine.
Newsweek and The Forward highlight questions regarding Ticketmaster's refund policy for affected concertgoers, a detail not prominently featured in most international coverage.
The Daily Wire frames the withdrawing acts as "rage quit to back antisemite," reflecting a specific interpretation of Macklemore's statements, whereas other outlets like France 24 and Euronews describe the acts' withdrawal as being "in solidarity" with Macklemore over the controversy.
Some articles, including The Daily Beast and Common Dreams, explicitly state that Robert Kraft threatened to cancel Sheeran's show and organize a wider boycott, while others, like Newsweek, more generally refer to "pressure from venues" or "discussions with stakeholders."