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Ed Sheeran Tour Turmoil· Day 11

Macklemore Announces Free Palestine Tour

The rapper unveiled a pro-Palestine tour after being dropped from Ed Sheeran concerts.

September 24, 2026 · Updated Sep 24, 3:58pm ET

40%

Left · 2

40%

Center · 2

20%

Right · 1

Pano rates the coverage Balanced.

What happened

Macklemore announced a new “Free Palestine” tour after being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour over pro-Palestinian comments. The removal followed Macklemore’s onstage support for Palestine at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier in September. It came after pressure from billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly threatened Sheeran’s Foxborough show and urged other stadium owners to follow. Macklemore said all proceeds will go to groups supporting Palestinians and the wider Palestinian movement. He called the backlash part of a “collective awakening” and said staying apolitical during genocide does not work. The tour starts in Dublin on October 26. More collaborators and U.S. dates are still pending.

How the left told it

Left-leaning outlets framed the move as an answer to his dismissal, casting the shows as both defiance and solidarity. Al Jazeera emphasized the tour’s link to the earlier controversy over his advocacy. The Los Angeles Times highlighted Macklemore’s pledge that proceeds would support Palestinian causes. It also treated his stance as a moral challenge to artists.

How the right told it

Only one right-leaning outlet we track covered this: Daily Caller, under the headline “Macklemore Announces Pro-Palestine Tour After Being Booted From Ed Sheeran’s Concerts”.

Ed Sheeran Tour Turmoil

Storyline →
  1. Sep 25Ed Sheeran Gillette Shows CanceledBalanced
  2. Sep 24Macklemore Announces Free Palestine Tour (this story)Balanced
  3. Sep 20Ed Sheeran Condemns GazaBalanced
  4. Sep 19Ed Sheeran Returns After Macklemore CutBalanced
  5. Sep 17Macklemore Removal Roils Ed Sheeran TourLeans Right

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