Ed Sheeran’s forthcoming concerts will proceed without any supporting acts, following the withdrawal of the remaining openers and a touring band that collaborated with him on various songs. This decision came in solidarity with rapper Macklemore, who was removed from the tour lineup after making pro-Palestinian statements.

According to Messina Touring Group, which handles the tour, discussions with involved parties led to the conclusion that Macklemore would no longer participate in the upcoming support dates, as reported by Rolling Stone.

American artist Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, has faced backlash for his pro-Palestinian remarks during recent performances. The Irish band Beoga, along with support acts Aaron Rowe, Danish group Lukas Graham, and American musician Finneas, have all opted out of the tour in light of the situation.

Beoga had been featuring several tracks, including some co-written with Sheeran, throughout their set. The decision of these artists to withdraw has increased pressure on Sheeran, who is scheduled to resume his tour this weekend. The unfolding events surrounding Macklemore’s involvement in Sheeran’s Loop tour have been widely covered in the media, prompting commentary from various figures within the music industry.

The controversy began on September 4 during Macklemore’s opening show for the tour in New Jersey, where he made remarks in favor of Palestine while introducing his song “Hind’s Hall.” He expressed, “A significant reason for embarking on this tour was to stand in venues like this and declare two words that resonate deeply with me: Free Palestine.” The following day, he reiterated that criticizing Israel does not equate to criticizing “my Jewish brothers and sisters.”

On September 6, the Israeli American Council initiated a petition demanding Macklemore’s removal from the tour lineup, accusing him of using his platform to promote a divisive political agenda. Their Instagram post stated, “Ed Sheeran, do not allow your stage to be used to divide people or spread one-sided political propaganda!”

In response to the petition, Macklemore shared a video of his performance at the stadium on September 7, asserting, “Wishing for equal treatment for all humans should not be controversial.”

On September 11, singer Pink became involved, posting a detailed statement on Instagram criticizing Macklemore’s comments. She clarified that while she does not represent Israel or any government, she firmly believes that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Pink emphasized the need to protect innocent lives and expressed concern over Macklemore’s past actions, recalling a controversial costume he wore in 2014 that was deemed antisemitic. She stated, “He apologized, and I let it go… Then last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them. You don’t get to decide that for us.”

On September 14, after a week of challenging conversations with Sheeran, Macklemore announced he had been dropped from the remaining eight shows on the Loop tour. He expressed that the discussions were rooted in “love and respect” but ultimately revealed a “fundamental disagreement.” He claimed that Sheeran informed him that Robert Kraft, owner of the venue for the next concert, had requested his removal from the lineup. Macklemore stated, “Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,” adding that Kraft had coordinated with other venue owners to issue an ultimatum against Macklemore’s participation.

Macklemore conveyed that Sheeran was caught in a difficult position, with his usual neutral stance being challenged. He noted, “Ed mentioned that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the Palestinian flag were distressing to many people he had consulted.” Macklemore countered that if those words were considered more offensive than the deaths of countless Palestinian children, it indicated a significant disconnect in perspectives.

He questioned why this issue had become contentious, given his outspoken stance on the matter for three years. Following Macklemore’s remarks, Robert Kraft responded, stating that Macklemore’s recent actions and the material shared during Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey contributed to the decision to remove him.