Sheeran Addresses Macklemore Dispute at Philadelphia Concert

Ed Sheeran addressed controversy over Macklemore’s removal from his Loop Tour during a Philadelphia concert, apologizing to fans and saying the dispute had drawn him into an unwanted debate over free speech and the Israel-Gaza war. Sheeran condemned Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack as horrific, described the devastation in Gaza as catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate, and criticized systemic injustice in the West Bank. Macklemore was dropped after pro-Palestinian comments, prompting other support acts to withdraw; Sheeran has said the tour promoter, not he, made the decision. Sheeran became emotional, said he had questioned whether to continue performing, and acknowledged making difficult decisions and mistakes. He removed the concert’s secondary stage because of concerns that objects might be thrown at him, but the show proceeded without reported disruption, while protests took place outside the venue. His remarks received both support and criticism, including over their prepared delivery and failure to directly name Israel or use the term “genocide.”