Ed Sheeran calls Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ after Palestine controversy

Ed Sheeran made his first public remarks about the dispute surrounding his North American Loop Tour as he opened a show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, where the tour resumed on Saturday night. Speaking to the crowd, he called the situation in Gaza "catastrophic," and described the response there as "unjustifiable" and "disproportionate."

The controversy erupted after American rapper Macklemore, who had expressed pro-Palestine views at an earlier concert in New Jersey, was dropped from Sheeran’s lineup. Sheeran has denied ordering the removal and said the decision was made by the tour promoter. Press reports said the concert start time was pushed back about two and a half hours because there were no opening acts, and Sheeran performed solo.

All four of Sheeran’s scheduled supporting acts withdrew from the tour in protest, including Finneas — Billie Eilish’s brother and frequent collaborator — who said artists should not be silenced when speaking up for the oppressed and voiced his support for Palestinians. Outside the stadium, about 50 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered waving flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine," according to Reuters. One local demonstrator, who had returned a purchased ticket, told the Associated Press she had been disappointed that Sheeran did not take a clearer stand.

Concertgoers interviewed before the show expressed mixed reactions. Some attendees said they supported both Sheeran and Macklemore and wanted the event to focus on the music rather than politics, while others used the demonstration to register their displeasure with how the situation had been handled. The episode underscores the broader tensions affecting live music events amid heightened public attention to international political issues.