Ed Sheeran 'heart broken' by Gaza war after Macklemore tour row

Sheeran condemns 'catastrophic' Gaza war

British singer Ed Sheeran told thousands of fans gathered at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday that his "heart has been broken" by the civilian death toll in Gaza, wading into the heated debate surrounding the Israel-Hamas war days after dropping rapper Macklemore from his tour over pro-Palestinian remarks. Sheeran condemned the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel as "horrific," while describing Israel's subsequent military campaign as "catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate."

"My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, children's lives," he told the crowd, adding that "systemic injustice" in the West Bank could not be ignored. "I don't want to disappoint fans, and I've never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," he said.

Macklemore dropped following pro-Palestinian remarks

The controversy erupted after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's remaining US tour dates following pro-Palestinian comments made during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. Macklemore said venue owners pressured for his cancellation, while Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, cited a history of "antisemitic rhetoric and imagery" as the reason for the decision, and Sheeran noted that he "spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge" before the removal was finalized.

Philadelphia protests and apology

Addressing the controversy directly, Sheeran apologized for recent decisions, telling the crowd: "This week, the criticism was about something much more important and I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so, so sorry." He emphasized that "everyone is welcome" at his concerts, stating that "My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me," as pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the venue and Philadelphia police monitored the event for public safety.