Pink has taken aim at Macklemore after the rapper sparked controversy worldwide with a “Free Palestine” plea at a recent concert.
The Thrift Shop singer hit headlines when he took to the stage to open Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Friday (04.09.26) and told the crowd: “One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine. I said, Free Palestine!
“I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.”
Social media has been awash with criticism of Macklemore after the stunt, with Pink the latest to contest the rapper’s remarks.
While she didn’t speak out directly, Pink did share an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism, which read: “Awful - Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in NJ, not to be ambushed by Macklemore's anti-Israel propaganda,' the caption on the original post read.
“Instead, Macklemore walked onstage in a keffiyeh, shouted ‘Free Palestine,’ accused Israel of a false ‘genocide,’ and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state.
“Concert goers are owed apologies and refunds.”
After his initial ‘Free Palestine’ remarks on Friday night, Macklemore then introduced his song Hind’s Hall, and explained that the tune was “inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilised the entire world”, saying they had “opened up hearts, myself included”.
He was referring to The Gaza Solidarity Encampment, which took place in April 2024, and saw the students stage a protest encampment to demand that the university call for an end to the war between Palestine and Israel.
Macklemore continued: “So thank you to those students that risked their diplomas, that risked their tuition, that risked their scholarships, that stood up and said, ‘No’.
“CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. Thank you guys.”
Macklemore’s comments saw him widely slammed by music fans, some of whom even started a petition to see him kicked off Ed’s tour.
At the next show on Saturday night, Macklemore then said: “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you.
“My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.”
He also appeared to respond to his critics by sharing a video of his Friday speech on Instagram, writing in the caption: “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”
