Macklemore Launches Free Palestine Tour After Ed Sheeran Split

Macklemore opened his new Free Palestine concert tour in Dublin on Monday, following his dismissal as the opening act for Ed Sheeran. The split occurred after the rapper used the phrase Free Palestine at a recent show, prompting venue owners to threaten to block further performances if he remained on the bill.

Demand for the Dublin performance was immediate. Fans purchased all 13,000 tickets for the 3Arena within minutes of the sale going live. The venue filled with an audience wearing Palestinian flags and black, red, and green jerseys, items that vendors sold outside the venue. The crowd chanted Free Free Palestine throughout the set.

Macklemore addressed the controversy directly from the stage. He noted that it took only six weeks and two words for his removal from Sheeran's tour to become a major issue. He stated that some stakeholders found those words more threatening than the conflict itself, arguing that they preferred silence over confronting the meaning behind the phrase.

The rapper vowed to continue speaking out against the war in Gaza. He waved a Palestinian flag for much of his performance and described his goal as fighting for collective liberation. His comments referenced the criticism he faced at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, where his remarks about the Israeli government's actions in Gaza and the West Bank led to his removal.

A lineup of Irish and Palestinian artists supported the main act. Hozier, the Kneecap rap group, and Beoga all performed. Beoga had previously left Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Palestinian singer Lina Makhoul and DJ Habibeats also played, while Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham spoke between sets. The event served as a platform for artists who have publicly opposed Israel's military campaign.

Local attendees described the night as a unifying experience. Siobhan Lyons, who attended with her daughter, called Macklemore a speaker for their time. She said his ability to reach people made the event feel alive and gave her a sense of participation in a larger movement. The concert marked the first of several European dates, with stops in Paris and London scheduled for later this week.

US dates for the tour are yet to be announced. The conflict in Gaza has claimed more than 74,000 lives according to Palestinian authorities, following an attack on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel. Israeli officials maintain that their actions in Gaza do not constitute genocide, a point of contention often raised by performers on this tour.