Overview
- During opening sets at MetLife Stadium over the weekend, Macklemore wore a keffiyeh, showed Gaza footage and said "Free Palestine," framing his remarks as a call for peace and equal human rights.
- Pro‑Israel groups including the Israeli‑American Council and StopAntisemitism launched petitions demanding his removal from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour and sought apologies or refunds for concertgoers.
- P!nk reshared a StopAntisemitism post to her Instagram Story and then posted a series of cryptic 'unbothered' memes, which drew criticism from pro‑Palestine supporters and calls for boycotts.
- Macklemore has defended his statements in later performances and on social media, and Ed Sheeran and tour management have so far issued no public response to the petitions or the controversy.
- The episode has raised practical questions for promoters about whether tours should set clear rules or vetting for political speech by opening acts and could influence how future stadium shows handle activist statements.