Middle East · 13 September 2026 to 17 September 2026 · 23 headlines · Fox News, Al Jazeera, BBC News, CNN, AP, South China Morning Post
Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran tour
Rapper Macklemore was dropped from the US leg of Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after chanting "Free Palestine" and performing his song "Hind's Hall" while opening for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium on September 4. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group said venues had told it they would not host the remaining shows with Macklemore on the bill; Macklemore said Sheeran told him Patriots owner Robert Kraft had rallied other stadium owners to threaten a boycott unless he was removed, and that he was barred outright from Kraft's own Gillette Stadium. In a lengthy Instagram statement, Macklemore said he was not the victim: "The victims are the Palestinian people... more than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone."
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As it ran
17 September 2026
16 September 2026
- The artists who pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine Al Jazeera
- Macklemore pledges $1m in tour earnings to Palestinian groups Al Jazeera
- Which artists have pulled out of Ed Sheeran’s tour over Palestine? Al Jazeera
- Hollywood stars take aim at Ed Sheeran over Macklemore's removal from tour Fox News
- Will Ed Sheeran cancel his tour as support acts quit? BBC News
- Macklemore axed from Ed Sheeran's shows after turning stadiums into Gaza rallies Fox News
- Ed Sheeran tour, youth sports, effects of smoking. Catch up on the day’s stories CNN
- What to know about Ed Sheeran's tour after Macklemore was cut and artists dropped out AP
- Macklemore’s controversial past resurfaces after Ed Sheeran tour ouster Fox News
15 September 2026
- All support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour quit after Macklemore dropped BBC News
- Ed Sheeran blames US tour promoter for dropping Macklemore Al Jazeera
- Ed Sheeran faces tour fallout as 4 acts quit after Macklemore controversy Fox News
- Acts abandon Ed Sheeran tour after Macklemore barred over ‘Free Palestine’ comments CNN
- Ed Sheeran says it was 'not my decision' to drop Macklemore from tour BBC News
- Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore AP
- Macklemore is dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour over pro-Palestinian comments onstage AP
- Music acts quit Ed Sheeran tour in support of Macklemore, amid Gaza row South China Morning Post
- Three support acts quit Ed Sheeran tour in support of Macklemore BBC News
14 September 2026
- Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour following Palestine advocacy Al Jazeera
- Macklemore removed from Ed Sheeran tour after 'Free Palestine' remarks spark outrage Fox News
- Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour after 'Free Palestine' speech BBC News