IAC calls for Ed Sheeran to remove Macklemore as opener after he shouted 'Free Palestine' at show

"Jewish patrons should not be subjected to this propaganda," StopAntisemitism wrote on X/Twitter, sharing a video of the incident.

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) on Sunday launched a petition urging Ed Sheeran and his management to drop rapper Macklemore from the remainder of the tour after claiming he used his opening set to spread anti-Zionist and antisemitic propaganda.

Macklemore took to the stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey over the weekend to call for a “Free Palestine” and accuse Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

“I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” Macklemore said, wearing a keffiyeh draped over his shoulders.

The rapper also performed his song, “Hind’s Hall,” while footage from Gaza, pro-Palestinian encampments, and other political messages were projected on the stadium’s screens.

"Jewish patrons should not be subjected to this propaganda," StopAntisemitism wrote on X/Twitter, sharing a video of the incident.

"Imagine paying $500+ to see Ed Sheeran only to be ambushed by Macklemore’s relentless anti-Israel obsession," it wrote in a second X post. "Yes, the same Macklemore who appeared onstage dressed as an Orthodox Jew, complete with an enormous prosthetic nose."

"Fans deserve apologies and refunds. Unacceptable."

A concert, not a political rally

“This was an Ed Sheeran concert - not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event,” said the IAC, which represents more than 150,000 Israeli-Americans. “The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views. The question is where to draw the line 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."

Macklemore’s decision to perform “Hind's Hall” during his opening set was “not incidental,” the IAC added.

IAC calls for clear boundaries of activism on stage to be implemented

“The song was written in explicit support of the campus protest movement and takes its name from the nickname protesters gave to the historic Hamilton Hall at Columbia University after they broke in and occupied it,” IAC said. “Some of those protests involved trespassing, building occupations, vandalism, and violations of the law - conduct that stands in direct conflict with core American values." 

In addition to removing Macklemore from Sheeran’s remaining tour dates, the IAC called for the establishment of clear boundaries regarding tour stages being used as platforms to promote political messaging.

"Freedom of expression does not mean freedom from responsibility. Your show. Your stage. Your responsibility," the IAC concluded, adding a demand for action from Live Nation, one of the world's largest concert promotion companies.