Four supporting acts, including all scheduled opening acts, and the main band quit Ed Sheeran's tour on Tuesday after the rapper Macklemore was forcibly removed for pro-Palestinian comments onstage during a recent show.
Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Maclemore's ouster and attributed the decision to the tour's promoters due to pressures from pro-Zionist billionaires, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted on Instagram that they would withdraw from Sheeran’s tour.
Rowe was one of Macklemore's replacements for Sheeran’s remaining US dates, while Beoga was serving as Sheeran's touring band. Finneas, who is Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.
Rowe and Beoga each cited their country’s history in their statements explaining their decision.
"We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be," Beoga said.
Rowe called Sheeran a friend and said he’d changed his life. "But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation," he posted, adding he could not "stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up."
Finneas, who has publicly advocated for Palestinians in the past, reiterated his support.
"Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," he wrote.
Lukas Graham, meanwhile, expressed gratitude toward Sheeran and called it "a difficult decision."
"Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge," the band posted, seemingly referring to billionaire Robert Kraft’s role in Macklemore’s removal from the tour.
Emails seeking comment were sent to Sheeran.
Sheeran weighed in on Macklemore being dropped as his opening act after the rapper made pro-Palestinian comments onstage during their tour, saying the decision was made by the promoters alone. The British singer also said he refused to be drawn into a public discussion about Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, and wasn't complicit without elaboration.
The tour’s promoter, the Messina Touring Group, did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment Tuesday. Macklemore's publicist also did not immediately respond.
Sheeran's statement came a day after Macklemore said he was kicked off the Loop Tour after exclaiming "Free Palestine!" during the 5 Sept. date at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium while introducing his protest song "Hind's Hall."
"To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you," he said during the concert.
Macklemore said Monday on Instagram that several US venues told the promoter they would prohibit him from performing as Sheeran’s opening act, rallied by Robert Kraft, owner of NFL’s New England Patriots. His Kraft Group also owns Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots play.
Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight of the 10 shows Sheeran has remaining on his stadium tour, which is scheduled to resume Saturday in Philadelphia. Ahead are stops at Gillette Stadium, Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium.