Ed Sheeran loses nearly 100,000 Instagram followers since Macklemore's Israel controversy

Ed Sheeran has lost almost 100,000 Instagram followers amid the ongoing controversy with Macklemore.

In case you missed it, on Monday Macklemore announced that he had been dropped from Sheeran’s Loop Tour following pro-Palestine comments he made on-stage during a performance.

The US rapper called to ‘free Palestine’ during an appearance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on 4 September.

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, was hit with some criticism following his speech and this week confirmed he’d been dropped from the remainder of the tour.

In a lengthy statement about the incident, Macklemore said New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft had issued Sheeran an ‘ultimatium’ that resulted in him being booted off the tour.

Sheeran then issued his own statement, in which he said that the decision to remove Macklemore hadn’t been made by him.

"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine. Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,” he said.

"I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living."

However, it seems as though some fans have been left less than impressed with the whole situation with data from HypeAudior revealing that Sheeran has lost almost 100,000 followers on Instagram since this whole thing kicked off.

Meanwhile several of his followers have been flooding his posts with comments saying 'free Palestine' and calling him out for 'not choosing sides'.

Several of Sheeran's support acts have pulled out of the tour

Sheeran is also facing a mass walkout of support acts, with Irish singer Aaron Rowe, who was featuring on the North American leg of performances, saying he was quitting the tour yesterday (Tuesday 15 September).

“As Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation,” he said.

"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. FREE PALESTINE."

This was swiftly followed by Finneas who also announced he wouldn’t be taking part in the tour, telling his fans: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed.

“I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”

And the walkouts didn’t end there, Irish band Beoga also shared a statement saying they’d no longer be taking part and Danish pop band Lukas Graham confirmed it would be exiting the tour just moments after Finneas made his announcement.

“We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them,” they wrote on Instagram.

“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.”