Ed Sheeran addressed the Israel-Palestine conflict during a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday, his first performance since controversy erupted over rapper Macklemore’s removal as a supporting act on the tour, according to DW.
Sheeran called the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack in Israel “horrific.” He also described Israel’s subsequent war in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate,” DW reported. The source said the conflict had killed more than 70,000 people in Gaza, while the October attack killed around 1,200 people and involved dozens being taken hostage.
The singer also condemned what he called “systemic injustice” in the occupied West Bank. DW said the Israeli government is pushing to expand Jewish settlements there, which the United Nations has called a “flagrant violation of international law.”
“I don’t want to disappoint fans, and I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician,” Sheeran said, according to DW. He added that the controversy had placed him in the middle of an argument about freedom of speech and the conflict, which he described as “the most complex political issue on the planet.” He also said he had made difficult decisions and mistakes, and apologized.
His comments marked a change from an earlier statement on Instagram, in which Sheeran said his audiences “do not expect a political forum.” The dispute began after Macklemore said “Free Palestine” during the opening of Sheeran’s US Loop Tour in New Jersey in early September. Sheeran has denied responsibility for Macklemore being dropped, saying venues had threatened to cancel shows if the rapper remained on the tour.
DW reported that several other supporting acts later withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore, including Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, as well as Sheeran’s backing band. Pro-Palestinian protesters also gathered peacefully outside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field before the concert, while PACBI called for a boycott of Sheeran’s world tour.