Macklemore Launches Free Palestine Tour Following Ed Sheeran Controversy

Macklemore has announced a "Free Palestine" tour, a series of charity concerts in Dublin, Paris and London next month, days after being removed as the opening act on Ed Sheeran's U.S. stadium tour over his on-stage comments in support of Palestinians.

How the dispute started

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from Sheeran's tour after calling for a "free Palestine" during shows at MetLife Stadium and saying he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know "we have not forgotten about them." Sheeran has since faced his own backlash over how he handled the situation, telling a crowd in Philadelphia that he had made mistakes and was "so, so sorry," though PR analysts say the episode is unlikely to seriously damage his career.

The new tour

Macklemore's Free Palestine tour is set to stop in Dublin on October 26, Paris on October 29 and London on October 30, with all ticket proceeds going to organizations supporting Palestinians. In a statement, Macklemore said the past few weeks had shown "a collective awakening" around Palestinian liberation and pushback against attempts to silence artists who speak on the issue.