Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour after making a comment about Gaza during a concert in New Jersey. In an Instagram post, Macklemore stated that Robert Kraft, owner of the Gillette Stadium where they were to perform, had pressured Sheeran to remove him due to his comments and alleged antisemitic history. Kraft defended his decision by stating it was not meant to silence Palestinian advocacy but rather to address what he perceived as an imbalance in the portrayal of the conflict's responsibilities.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but all 4 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 10529: attributed speech only · logged 2026-09-15
The 43-year-old, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, said during a concert at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey that he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten, and added in a post on Instagram that he hoped it was not the end of his friendship with Sheeran.
asserted
it → say → Sheeran
In a post on Monday, Macklemore said: “I’m going to speak from the heart and share the truth.
asserted
I → say → truth
Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour.
asserted
Sheeran → make → tour
“But before I get into it, I want to say something that should be obvious.
asserted
that → get → something
In this moment I think it matters.
asserted
it → think → moment
We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world.
asserted
We → have → world
“Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.
asserted
we → face → families
The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence.
asserted
who → kill → violence
“More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone.
asserted
children → kill → Gaza
People are being killed today, and people will be killed tomorrow.
asserted
people → kill → ?
I want to make sure that as I tell this story, we don’t lose sight of that.”
asserted
we → want → that
Macklemore went on to claim that Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns the Gillette Stadium that they were due to play in, had contacted Sheeran and told him they would not be able to play unless he was removed from the tour.
uncertain
he → go → tour
He added: “Ed was in a f***** up position.
asserted
Ed → add → position
He knew it.
asserted
He → know → it
His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before.
asserted
it → challenge → way
“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with.
asserted
he → tell → people
“I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood.
asserted
I → tell → stood
Read More
“But he couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides’.”
asserted
I → read → sides
A statement from Mr Kraft described Macklemore’s comments as “hate speech” and accused Macklemore of “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.
asserted
we → describe → community
He added that it meant that his participation in gigs at the stadium on September 25 and 26 would cross a line.
asserted
participation → add → line
Mr Kraft said: “This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf.
asserted
decision → say → behalf
“But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally designated terrorist organisation whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.
“
asserted
actions → come → Palestinians
I agree with Macklemore, too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate.
asserted
sharing → agree → divisiveness
“Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect.
asserted
I → direct → who
Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.”
asserted
antisemitism → stand → Hamas
Macklemore was supported by Irish rap trio Kneecap and singer Paloma Faith on Instagram.
asserted
Macklemore → support → Instagram
Faith commented: “You are a rare and important voice, thank you for existing.
asserted
You → comment → you
In a post on Friday clarifying her repost of the petition, Pink said “Palestinians deserve a future that honours their humanity and their aspirations”.
asserted
that → clarify → humanity
She added: “Last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them.
“You don’t get to decide that for us.
asserted
You → add → us
That’s what prompted my repost.”
asserted
what → ’ → repost
Pink went on to say she does not speak for Israel or for any government.
asserted
she → go → government
Macklemore was among more than 1,100 artists, musicians and cultural workers who called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest this year over the inclusion of Israel.
asserted
who → call → Israel
The letter, co-ordinated by campaign group No Music For Genocide, was also signed by artists including Faith, Massive Attack, Paul Weller and Kneecap.
asserted
letter → co → Faith
Sheeran and Macklemore have been contacted for comment.
asserted
Sheeran → contact → comment
The Aporia
