Macklemore calls for a ‘free Palestine’ during Ed Sheeran shows, prompting praise and backlash

Macklemore calls for a ‘free Palestine’ during Ed Sheeran shows, prompting praise and backlash Submitted by Ghalia Mohamed on Mon, 09/07/2026 - 13:42 Pro-Israeli organisation accused of attempting to curb free speech after launching petition to remove American rapper from tour Macklemore performing at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in Corcelles-les-Monts, France, last month (Arnaud Finistre/AFP) Off Rights advocates, journalists and social media users have come out in support of the American rapper Macklemore in response to pressure from pro- Israel groups for expressing support for Palestine in his opening act performances for Ed Sheeran in the United States . Footage from Gaza and the occupied West Bank was displayed on screens as Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, performed in front of more than 80,000 people in MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday and Saturday as part of English singer-songwriter Sheeran's Loop tour. Macklemore performed "Hind’s Hall", a pro-Palestine anthem in support of anti-genocide campus protests in the US, and named after five-year-old Hind Rajab , who was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024.