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Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez announced she will boycott Ed Sheeran’s music in response to his tour promoter removing rapper Macklemore from the tour after Macklemore mentioned Palestine and the occupied West Bank during a speech. The removal followed backlash, including a petition from the Israeli American Council. Stadium owners, including New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, are alleged to have pressured Sheeran into dropping Macklemore. Ocasio-Cortez criticized this as a form of censorship that prevents discussions about “genocide in Gaza.”
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has boycotted Ed Sheeran's music following the removal of rapper Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour due to comments about Palestine. Macklemore was dropped after saying “free Palestine” onstage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, which led to backlash and a petition for his removal by the Israeli American Council. All remaining opening acts and the touring band have also withdrawn from the tour, citing concerns over censorship. The controversy involves pushback from Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, leading Ocasio-Cortez to criticize stadium owners for allegedly preventing discussions on issues like the genocide in Gaza.
Written for “Artist Tour Controversy” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.45, but none of the 2 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, 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 13619: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-16
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) said she’ll be changing the channel if singer Ed Sheeran comes on the radio, and criticized stadium owners of Sheeran’s tour for censoring “genocide in Gaza.”
“We need to be very clear about how dangerous a precedent this is,” Ocasio-Cortez told TMZ Tuesday.
asserted
Cortez → say → TMZ
The controversy stems from a promoter’s decision to remove rapper Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour.
asserted
controversy → stem → tour
Macklemore was dropped from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour after saying “free Palestine” onstage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
asserted
Macklemore → drop → Jersey
All remaining opening acts, Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, Beoga, and the touring band, have pulled themselves from the tour.
asserted
acts → remain → tour
During a Sept. 4 speech, Macklemore said he wanted people in Gaza and the “occupied West Bank” to know they had not been forgotten.
asserted
they → say → Gaza
His remarks prompted backlash and a petition from the Israeli American Council calling for his removal from the tour.
asserted
remarks → prompt → tour
Sheeran and Macklemore posted statements on Instagram about the decision, both referring to pushback from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
asserted
both → post → Kraft
The Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Macklemore and Sheeran were slated to perform later this month.
asserted
Macklemore → own → Foxborough
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” Macklemore said on Instagram Monday.
asserted
Macklemore → tell → Instagram
“Ed also told me that Kraft 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.”
asserted
you → tell → venues
Sheeran responded to the backlash on Tuesday.
asserted
Sheeran → respond → Tuesday
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.
asserted
it → come → tour
Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,” Sheeran said in a statement on Instagram Tuesday.
asserted
Sheeran → say → Instagram
“I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.
asserted
I → speak → bridge
One of those people was Robert Kraft,” Sheeran said.
asserted
Sheeran → say → people
“I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with carrots on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final.”
asserted
decision → involve → all
Sheeran emphasized the “suffering and pain caused on both sides,” but maintained he is not implicated.
asserted
he → emphasize → sides
“When you see what Robert Kraft did, to line up all of the stadiums, to censor speech in that one specific way, it’s become clear that this is not just about one music artist, or two music artists, but this is about how just a handful of stadium owners and the elite can prevent an entire massive issue, in this case, the genocide in Gaza,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
asserted
Cortez → see → Gaza
Ocasio-Cortez maintained she has “empathy for the situation,” and said that Sheeran “plays a role,” but that the focus needs to be on Kraft.
asserted
focus → maintain → Kraft
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