Ed Sheeran says situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic and unjustifiable' as he opens concert
Summary
Ed Sheeran addressed the situation in Gaza during a concert in Philadelphia, calling the attacks on Israel "horrific" and the situation in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable." His tour faced controversy after opener Macklemore was dropped for expressing pro-Palestinian views, leading several supporting acts to quit in support of Macklemore.Key Facts
- Ed Sheeran spoke about Gaza and Israel during his Philadelphia concert, focusing on unity and humanity rather than politics.
- Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour after saying "Free Palestine" at a previous show.
- The decision to drop Macklemore involved New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns one of the scheduled venues.
- Several artists supporting Sheeran’s tour, including Irish band Beoga, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Finneas, later withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore.
- Macklemore pledged $1 million to Palestinian relief, asking Kraft to match the donation; Kraft and Sheeran reportedly agreed to donate $2 million each.
- Some fans protested outside the concert, expressing disappointment with Sheeran's approach to the issue.
- Sheeran emphasized that the tour promoter was responsible for dropping Macklemore and said he did not want to mix his music with political activism.
- Sheeran’s tour is one of the highest earning, making him one of the top concert earners of the millennium so far.
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