Pro-Palestinian groups plan protest outside Ed Sheeran's Philadelphia concert

Ed Sheeran's Philadelphia tour stop this Saturday, September 19, is drawing organised protests from local pro-Palestinian groups, continuing the fallout from Macklemore's removal from the Loop Tour earlier this month. 

The Philly Palestine Coalition and Shut Down D&Z announced a demonstration outside Lincoln Financial Field, with promotional materials reading, "Ed Sheeran plays at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, his first show after caving to Zionist threats and dropping Macklemore as his opening act," alongside the message, "Billionaires, Zionists & Warmongers out of Philly." 

The groups framed the protest as an effort to keep attention on Gaza, stating, "Free Palestine is a call to direct action. On Saturday, we take to the streets to return the conversation to Palestine, and return Philadelphia to action."

Sheeran will take the stage in Philadelphia without an opening act for the first time on the tour, and without Beoga, the Irish band that had previously joined him mid-set. 

The controversy began after Macklemore said "free Palestine" and performed "Hind's Hall", a song named for Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza City in January 2024, during Sheeran's September 5 concert at MetLife Stadium, while images of destruction in Gaza played on the screens behind him. 

The performance drew criticism from groups including the Anti-Defamation League, and the Israeli-American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore's removal from the tour, arguing in part, "This was an Ed Sheeran concert, not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event... The question is where the line should be drawn when an opening act uses a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda."

According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had threatened to bar the tour from Gillette Stadium if Macklemore remained on the bill, and that Kraft had rallied other stadium owners to issue similar ultimatums. 

Sheeran addressed the situation directly in a public statement, saying, "I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy... Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing. After Macklemore's performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting." 

Separately, Kraft reportedly told Macklemore that Sheeran had asked him to commit $2 million toward Palestinian aid amid the controversy.

In the days following Macklemore's removal, several other artists withdrew from the tour in solidarity, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham, along with Beoga. 

Macklemore has since pledged to donate the entirety of his $1 million in net tour earnings to six organizations supporting Palestinians, publicly inviting Kraft to match the contribution.