Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour following Palestine advocacy
Gillette Stadium owner cites concerns over Macklemore's rhetoric as reason for barring him from performances.
Billionaire Robert Kraft has confirmed that Macklemore has been barred from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, after the rapper said his support for Palestine led to his being dropped from pop star Ed Sheeran’s tour.
Kraft said in a statement received by Al Jazeera on Monday that Macklemore’s recent performances and what he described as a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” led Gillette Stadium, which is owned and operated by the Kraft group, to determine that his appearances there on September 25 and 26 “would cross that line”.
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf,” Kraft said. “But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas … whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
“We have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the Messina Touring Group said. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”