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Pop star Ed Sheeran called the situation in Gaza "unjustifiable" Saturday, after facing criticism for dropping his opening act over pro-Palestinian comments.
A few dozen protesters gathered outside Lincoln Financial Field, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine."
The singer, who had previously kept an apolitical stance, broke his silence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his first show since the controversy involving U.S. rapper Macklemore.
"What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate," Sheeran said in Philadelphia.
"Our hearts have been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives and children's lives, and the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."
Macklemore had declared "Free Palestine" at a New Jersey concert this month, prompting backlash from owners of U.S. stadiums hosting future dates of Sheeran's Loop Tour.
Some fans entering the stadium said they had considered skipping the show due to the controversy but ultimately chose to attend and enjoy the music. "He could have easily walked away from all of this, and he stood up, and he spoke up," said one fan after the show.
But others, like Brandon Ateke, changed their plans. The 18-year-old Brown University student accused Sheeran of "complicity" with Kraft and others in silencing Macklemore. "I decided to not attend the concert and instead attend the protest to bring light to the genocide going on in Gaza today," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The stadium came close to selling out, despite an uptake in ticket resales this week and a sharp price drop. On Saturday, a pro-Palestinian group called on artists, fans, and crew members to boycott Sheeran's concerts.
"We now extend our call to boycott Ed Sheeran's entire world tour, including the upcoming Latin American dates, and the as-yet-unannounced European leg," said the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI).
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