Popular singer Macklemore has found himself in hot water over his actions during a recent set on Ed Sheeran's tour.
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The Can't Hold Us artist was performing his set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday, September 4. During his set, he showed his support for Gaza amid the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine.
Macklemore Shows Support For Gaza During Recent Concert
Macklemore said that one of the biggest influences behind him joining Sheeran on his multi-city tour was to spotlight the issue on a major platform.
"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this. To say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine," Macklemore told the crowd in a transcript obtained by Billboard. "I said, 'Free Palestine!' I want those words to be loud and clear. So that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them."
Macklemore also added: "Every single human being that walks this earth deserves to know safety and peace. Before they know the sound of violence. To know the sound of laughter on a playground before planes and bombs. For parents to be able to say bye to their kids in the morning and not have to wonder if this is going to be the last time they kiss their child goodbye."
IAC Launches Petition to Have Macklemore Axed From Tour
Following the rapper's public support for Palestine, the pro-Israel organization the Israeli-American Council (IAC) launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be axed from Sheeran's remaining tour dates.
"This was an Ed Sheeran concert - not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event," the petition reads. "The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views. The question is where the line should be drawn when an opening act uses a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda. This becomes even more troubling when the message relies on selective imagery, biased messaging, and disputed claims presented to a massive audience as fact, without context or complexity."
Sheeran has not responded to the petition.
