From PhillyVoice · · 1m 30s
Ed Sheeran's Philly apology after Macklemore ouster
Ed Sheeran tearfully apologizes for censorship controversy after Macklemore was removed from his tour
In brief
Ed Sheeran tearfully apologizes for censorship controversy after Macklemore was removed from his tour Sheeran admitted his tour faced venue censorship of Palestinian solidarity messages Originally reported by PhillyVoice.
Macklemore removed from tour
Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after venues refused to allow Palestinian solidarity messages
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium”
Sheeran's Philly apology
Sheeran admitted to making mistakes handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict controversy at his Philadelphia concert
“I'm so, so sorry”
Venues cited censorship
Tour venues required Sheeran to remove Macklemore's pro-Palestine message from his tour
“This happens in so many places that I perform around the world”
Kraft's $4 million pledge
Robert Kraft pledged $4 million to aid Palestinians amid the conflict
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium”
Sheeran's stance on Gaza
Sheeran called the Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023 'horrific' and Israeli military actions 'catastrophic and unjustifiable'
“My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives”
Protesters planned action
Pro-Palestine groups planned protests outside Philadelphia stadium to support Palestinian solidarity
“The people of Philadelphia are outraged by the blatant silencing of solidarity with Palestinians”
Sheeran's concert changes
Sheeran's Philadelphia show started late and had no opening acts after Macklemore's removal
“The last week of my life has been one of the worst weeks of my life”
Sheeran's unity message
Sheeran emphasized his concerts should be places of unity and welcome for all audiences
“I am already speaking to people across the spectrum to work out how to make a contribution”
Sheeran's safety concerns
Sheeran removed part of his stage to prevent audience throwing objects
“I don't want to disappoint fans and I've never wanted to be an activist musician”
Macklemore's social media
Macklemore stated Sheeran removed him from tour after venue censorship concerns
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium”
Sheeran's tour impact
Sheeran's tour faced backlash after venues censored pro-Palestine messages
“This has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech”
Sheeran's emotional appeal
Sheeran broke down in tears during Philadelphia concert after apology
“Tonight has been, honestly, the best show of my life”
The main idea
Sheeran admitted his tour faced venue censorship of Palestinian solidarity messages
