Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour after pro-Palestine onstage comments

Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour after several venues said they wouldn't let him perform after he made comments in support of Palestine.

He was meant to make an appearance in eight of the 10 remaining shows on the US leg of Sheeran's tour, which has its next date on Friday (19 September), but now he's not going to be part of the rest of it.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Messina Touring Group confirmed that some venues had said they wouldn't let Macklemore perform which meant shows wouldn't go ahead.

They said: "As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans.

"After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

Macklemore, also known as Benjamin Haggerty, had been onstage at one of Sheeran's concerts opening for the singing star when he spoke in support of the people of Palestine.

He'd said: “I've been trying to figure out a way to say this all day. One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages and 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 the people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank, know that we have not forgotten them."

The rapper and DJ went on to praise Columbia University students for speaking out about the matter, telling the crowd 'CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voices for Peace, thank you, guys'.

He finished his speech by addressing Jewish fans to say that criticising Israel and their actions was not aimed at them.

“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 announced.

“So I say Free Palestine, I say Free Lebanon, I say Free Cuba, I say Free Congo, Free Sudan, I say Free all people in America living in fear of this terrorist organization, ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free."

The Israeli‑American Council (IAC) launched a petition to get Macklemore removed from the rest of Ed Sheeran's tour, saying that he was trying to 'advance a one-sided political agenda' and arguing that an Ed Sheeran concert wasn't the place for politics.

LADbible Group has contacted Ed Sheeran's representatives for comment.