Ed Sheeran's concert tour was plunged into crisis when several of his supporting acts quit in solidarity with rapper Macklemore. Macklemore had been removed from the tour after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage, a decision driven by stadium owners, notably New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly threatened to cancel Sheeran's dates if Macklemore remained on the bill. Kraft, who called Macklemore's statements "hate speech," received support from other NFL owners who were also ready to cancel Sheeran's shows.
Sheeran issued a statement claiming the decision to drop Macklemore was made by promoters, not him, and that he tried to bridge the divide. He emphasized his desire to keep his concerts a "place of safety and sanctuary" and his general avoidance of politics, especially given his audience includes children. However, this stance drew significant criticism, with some calling it "cowardice" and arguing that his "nice guy" image had been severely damaged. Critics highlighted previous instances where Sheeran had engaged in political causes, such as copyright protection, Brexit's impact on musicians, the Grenfell Tower fire, and the Ukraine war.
Following Sheeran's statement, all three remaining support acts—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, and Lukas Graham—pulled out, expressing support for Macklemore. Irish band Beoga, who perform with Sheeran, also quit. Many saw Macklemore's dismissal, at the hands of billionaire venue owners, as a chilling effect on free speech. Macklemore subsequently pledged to donate the entire $1 million of his net earnings from the tour to organizations supporting the Palestinian people and invited Kraft to match his donation. Sheeran and Kraft later jointly pledged $2 million in aid to the region, though this was criticized for its vagueness compared to Macklemore's specific pledges.
