During his first solo concert in Philadelphia since the escalation of the debate over the US tour, Ed Sheeran described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable”.
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The British singer said he is deeply shocked by the scale of destruction and the number of civilians and children who have lost their lives.
Sheeran stated that he aims for his music and performances to convey unity and humanity, not political division. He added that he had never wanted to be identified as an “activist musician,” but circumstances had placed him at the center of a debate on freedom of expression and the conflict in Gaza.
His remarks came after the “US Loop” tour became embroiled in controversy following rapper Macklemore’s departure from the opening act position. This development followed the “Free Palestine” call that Macklemore made during a concert in New Jersey earlier this month.
Sheeran has denied influencing Macklemore’s departure, attributing responsibility to the tour organizer. According to him, throughout the week he had been communicating with the venues where concerts were to be held, aiming to build a bridge before the decision was made.
Subsequently, four other supporting artists also withdrew from the tour and through their statements expressed solidarity with Palestinians.
While the concert was taking place at the Philadelphia stadium, a small number of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside. They waved Palestinian flags and chanted “Free, Palestine free.” Some of them criticized Sheeran for his stance, as well as for what they considered a lack of public support for Macklemore.
Hillary Steinberg stated she had bought tickets a year earlier, but had refunded them to join the protest. The 18-year-old student Brandon Ateke also criticized the singer and said he had chosen the protest over the concert.
However, some fans said they continued to support Sheeran and had come to hear his music. Kassandra Rivera said she intended to have fun and see the singer, while Dwayne Smith, who came from Canada, said that for him and his friends the concert was about music, not politics.
Earlier, Sheeran had said he has his own personal views on the conflict, but the decision not to speak publicly does not mean he lacks those views. On the Philadelphia stage, he also described the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel as horrific and expressed his pain over the consequences of the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, critics who accuse him of not distancing himself from stadium owners and from the decision to remove Macklemore have called for a boycott of the singer.
