ALL of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour supporting acts have quit the remaining dates in solidarity with Macklemore, who was removed from the shows after he made several onstage statements supporting Palestine.
Irish singer Aaron Rowe, US musician Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother, Danish artist Lukas Graham, and Sheeran’s tour band Beoga all posted on social media that they had withdrawn from the tour after Macklemore was dropped.
The rapper was kicked off Sheeran’s tour on Monday after he told the audience at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had “not been forgotten” amid Israel’s genocide.
Macklemore was due to appear at eight of the 10 shows left on the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s tour, but he was dropped after several venues allegedly told the tour's promoter that they would not allow him to perform following his pro-Palestine comments.
On Monday, he posted on Instagram confirming Sheeran and his team had “made the decision to remove” him from the Loop Tour, receiving more than 6.7 million likes and over 250,000 comments in support of him speaking out against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
In a response on the social media platform on Tuesday, Sheeran said Macklemore being removed from the tour was the promoter’s decision and not his.
Following fierce backlash online for not backing Macklemore, Sheeran claimed that he was “not complicit” and that he has his own “personal views on this devastating conflict”.
He wrote: “Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.
“Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own personal way.”
However, all of Sheeran’s supporting acts have now quit the tour following Macklemore’s removal, along with scores of fans calling for refunds for their concert tickets following the decision.
Rowe said on Instagram he did not take the decision to quit the tour “lightly”, adding Sheeran “has been a friend to me and has changed my life”.
Rowe added: “I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children.
“I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.
“I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.”
In their post, Beoga said: “We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.”
The band added: “As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams, but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us.”
Finneas said: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.”
Macklemore commented on each of the posts with a love heart emoji and the Palestinian flag.
Sheeran’s next performance is scheduled for September 19 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where Graham and Rowe were set to open for him.
Graham said: “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.
“I love Ed … I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We’re withdrawing from the remaining dates.
“I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by.”
