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British pop star Ed Sheeran broke a long-held silence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Saturday night, telling a Philadelphia audience that the situation in Gaza is "catastrophic and unjustifiable," days after facing criticism for not defending his opening act, US rapper Macklemore, who was dropped from his tour over pro-Palestinian remarks.
The comments, delivered during Sheeran's first concert since the controversy erupted, marked a sharp departure for an artist who had previously avoided political statements.
"What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate," Sheeran told the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, adding that "the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."
The dispute began after Macklemore declared "Free Palestine" during a concert in New Jersey earlier this month, prompting objections from owners of US stadiums scheduled to host later dates on Sheeran's Loop Tour.
Sheeran has denied personally deciding to remove the rapper from the tour, saying the decision rested with the tour's promoter rather than with him.
In the days that followed, four supporting acts left the tour in protest, citing solidarity with Palestinians in public statements. Among them were Sheeran's own backing band and Finneas, the musician known for his collaborations with his sister, pop star Billie Eilish.
Sheeran opened Saturday's show performing alone before later introducing five substitute musicians, whom he said had learned his catalogue in three days. He thanked them for joining him "in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with me."
Sheeran, 35, had drawn criticism, including calls for a boycott, for what detractors described as a failure to stand up to stadium owners, among them businessman Robert Kraft. Addressing the audience, an emotional Sheeran said he had made mistakes under difficult circumstances.
"I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so so sorry," he said, drawing cheers from the crowd. He described the preceding week as the "hardest of my life," saying he had feared fans might "throw things" at him, and later called the show the "best night" of his life, tearing up as he thanked the audience.
Sheeran also voiced unease about venues screening performers' content in advance. "This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world," he said, calling the practice "deeply worried"-inducing.
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Outside the stadium, a few dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered peacefully before the show, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine."
Some ticket holders said they had considered skipping the concert given the controversy but ultimately chose to attend. One fan said afterward that Sheeran "could have easily walked away from all of this, and he stood up, and he spoke up."
Others stayed away. Brandon Ateke, an 18-year-old Brown University student, said he chose to join the protest instead of attending, accusing Sheeran of "complicity" with Kraft and others in what he characterized as the silencing of Macklemore.
Despite a rise in ticket resales and a sharp drop in resale prices in the days before the show, the stadium was close to capacity.
The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel said Saturday it was broadening its call for a boycott to cover the remainder of Sheeran's world tour, including upcoming dates in Latin America and a European leg that has not yet been announced.
The renewed attention on Sheeran comes as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to surface repeatedly across the entertainment industry, from awards shows including the Oscars and Emmys to major music ceremonies and European film festivals, since Israel's invasion of Gaza began in October 2023 in response to an attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas.
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