Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Macklemore has announced a “Free Palestine” tour after being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US stadium shows following his pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.
The 43-year-old American rapper will begin the run in Dublin on 26 October before performing in Paris on 29 October and London on 30 October, with North American dates set to follow.
The concerts will bring Macklemore together with special guests and raise money for organisations providing humanitarian assistance and other support for Palestinians.
Announcing the shows on Instagram, Macklemore said: “If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.
“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”
Macklemore added: “What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.”
The announcement follows a turbulent period for Ed, 35, and his Loop tour after Macklemore was removed from its remaining US dates.
The rapper had appeared at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 4 September, where he told the audience part of his reason for joining the tour was to say “Free Palestine” in a stadium and said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know “we have not forgotten about them”.
Promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently said venues scheduled to host forthcoming shows had told it they would not permit concerts featuring Macklemore, potentially jeopardising the performances.
The controversy widened when Ed’s remaining support acts – Finneas O’Connell, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe – withdrew from the tour, while Irish group Beoga also pulled out of appearances accompanying Ed.
Ed subsequently returned to the stage in Philadelphia and addressed the dispute, describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable”.
He said he had attempted to find a resolution with venues and promoters and maintained removing Macklemore had not been his decision.
Macklemore made a pointed reference to his departure while unveiling his new concerts, saying: “So, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit.”
He added: “I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences. Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe.
“Because of how quickly all of this has come together, a lot of the conversations, schedules and details are still being worked out. But this is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done.
“So we’re going on tour.”
Proceeds from the shows are set to benefit organisations including Anera, Glia, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Taawon, HEAL Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Middle East Children’s Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Institute for Middle East Understanding, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and UNRWA USA.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, became an international star through hits including Thrift Shop, Can’t Hold Us and Same Love, recorded during his hugely successful partnership with producer Ryan Lewis.
The Grammy winner has increasingly used his music to express support for Palestinians.
He released the protest track Hind’s Hall in 2024, followed by Hind’s Hall 2, and performed the former during his appearances on Ed’s tour.
Macklemore has also pledged $1m to Palestinian aid organisations following his removal from the Loop tour, with the money directed towards humanitarian work including healthcare, food assistance and emergency relief.
The first three Free Palestine shows will take Macklemore to Dublin’s 3Arena, Paris’s Accor Arena and London’s OVO Arena Wembley, with further performers and North American dates still to be announced.
