U2 stand by Macklemore’s Palestine comments, urge fans not to ‘vilify’ Ed Sheeran

U2 have spoken out about Macklemore’s exit from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour, defending the rapper’s freedom to express his views on stage while asking that Sheeran not be singled out for criticism.

The band’s view

In an interview with BBC News, guitarist the Edge said the band fully supports Macklemore’s right as an artist to say what he chose to say. He also said he didn’t think Sheeran deserved to be “vilified,” noting that the singer had been put in a hard spot. The Edge praised the musicians who stepped away from the tour in solidarity, describing the episode as a question of free expression.

Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. said whether to be politically engaged is each artist’s own decision. He added that the band would stand up for people’s right to share their opinions, provided they don’t encourage violence, even when U2 don’t agree with what’s being said. “But we as a band will fight for the right to speak your mind as long as it doesn’t incite violence. And even if we disagree with it or don’t like it, nobody has a right – no billionaire, no promoter, no owner has the right to censor anybody. They will definitely not be censoring us ever," he said.

In his view, no promoter, venue owner or wealthy backer should be able to silence an artist, and he said U2 would not accept that for themselves.

How it unfolded

Macklemore was removed from the North American leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour in September, after two opening sets at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in which he voiced support for Palestine, spoke about Gaza and the West Bank, and performed his song “Hind’s Hall.” Promoter Messina Touring Group said the venues hosting the remaining dates would not proceed with him on the lineup.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed he had barred Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, pointing to the rapper’s remarks and what Kraft described as a wider pattern of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.

Sheeran said the call was the promoter’s to make. Several acts subsequently left the tour, among them Finneas, Lukas Graham and Irish folk group Beoga, who had been playing alongside Sheeran nightly. At a later show in Philadelphia, Sheeran opened by apologizing for missteps in how he had handled the matter.

What came next

Macklemore has since headlined three sold-out Free Palestine benefit concerts in Dublin, Paris and London, joined by guests including Hozier, Kneecap and Beoga, with proceeds going to organizations that support Palestinians.