The Aporia · Artists touring with Ed Sheeran quit over rapper’s removal amid Palestine row

Artists touring with Ed Sheeran quit over rapper’s removal amid Palestine row

Read the original at Evening Standard ↗

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Margotin, C. (2026, September 15). Artists touring with Ed Sheeran quit over rapper’s removal amid Palestine row. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/music/ed-sheeran-artists-palestine-gaza-b1297127.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

Artists Aaron Rowe and Irish folk band Beoga announced they are quitting Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after rapper Macklemore was removed from the lineup amid a controversy over comments supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. The departure follows pressure from fans and venue owners like Robert Kraft, who threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore continued performing. Rowe expressed his decision as a moral stance against what he sees as using power to silence voices speaking out against Israeli actions towards Palestinians.

Written by AI on 2026-09-15, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour after making pro-Palestinian comments at concerts. The rapper was removed following his chants of “Free Palestine” and criticism of Israel's actions as apartheid and genocide during performances in New Jersey. Promoters for the tour, Messina Touring Group, confirmed they received notifications from American venues that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform, potentially resulting in tour cancellation. Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium where Sheeran was scheduled to play, reportedly pressured Sheeran over Macklemore’s involvement. In response, Charlotte Church criticized Ed Sheeran during a concert for prioritizing profits over addressing the Gaza conflict.

Written for “Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 120 other(s) covering the same event.

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Uncertain

0 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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no quote in the article backed the model's score

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65/100

Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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121

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Who wrote this

Clara Margotin

34 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Mostly dry conditions forecast for next week as parts of UK still in drought Mostly dry conditions are forecast for the week ahead as parts of the UK remain officially in drought, forecasters have said.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Mostly dry conditions forecast for next week as parts of UK still in drought

🔮 One protester climbed a tree outside the embassy during the gathering and could be seen waving a placard reading “God help us.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

🔮 “I hope the Supreme Court justices, they won’t necessarily be influenced by it, but I hope that they will take a long-term view of what is happening in this country and decide that the proscription was unlawful, as I believe it was.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

🔮 The heavy fog warning is in place until 10am, but the forecaster said some patches of fog could last until the afternoon and people should be prepared for changes to weather conditions.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Yellow fog warning across parts of England and Wales

🔮 The heavy fog warning is in place until 10am, but the forecaster said some patches of fog could last until the afternoon and people should be prepared for changes to weather conditions.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · Yellow fog warning across parts of England and Wales

🔮 One protester climbed a tree outside the embassy just after 5pm and could be seen waving a placard reading “God help us.

2026-10-31 · assertive framing · More than 100 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

🔮 Around 400 protesters were expected at the demonstration calling for the government to lift its ban on proscribed group. Defend Our Juries has said protesters will hold up signs reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action”.

2026-10-31 · assertive framing · Dozens arrested outside US embassy after showing support for Palestine Action

🔮 Some protesters could be heard applauding and chanting “free, free Palestine” when people were taken away to police vans parked on Ponton Road, just off the embassy grounds, before being transferred to police stations.

2026-10-31 · assertive framing · Dozens arrested outside US embassy after showing support for Palestine Action

🔮 Asked if connection is what people in Northern Ireland need at the moment, he told PA: “I would say there’s already a level of connection there.

2026-10-28 · assertive framing · We want to bring hope and reconciliation, Northern Ireland clerics say

🔮 The continued extreme weather could hamper recovery efforts in some places after Storm Boelo battered the north of the UK over the weekend and brought 84mph gusts and a third of a month’s rain to some areas in Scotland.

2026-10-27 · mixed framing · Windy weather persists in Scotland after deadly storms over weekend

Also by Clara Margotin

Mostly dry conditions forecast for next week as parts of UK still in drought

2026-11-01 · Evening Standard

More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

2026-11-01 · Evening Standard

More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

2026-11-01 · Evening Standard

More than 300 arrested outside US embassy after supporting Palestine Action

2026-11-01 · Evening Standard

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 34 articles by Clara Margotin →

Claims (13 extracted, 0 hedged)

Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Irish folk band Beoga and US musician Finneas posted on Tuesday that they would withdraw from Sheeran’s Loop Tour. asserted

they → post → Tour

Meanwhile, Lukas Graham – another supporting act – has withdrawn from the tour. asserted

Graham → support → tour

During a show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week, American artist Macklemore said he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten. asserted

they → say → Gaza

This led to a petition demanding he be removed from the remaining dates. asserted

he → lead → dates

On Monday, he posted on Instagram confirming Sheeran and his team had “made the decision to remove” him from the Loop Tour. asserted

Sheeran → post → Tour

In a response on the social media platform on Tuesday, Sheeran said his departure from the tour was the promoter’s decision and not his. asserted

departure → say → tour

He said “upcoming tour dates had communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting”, and added Robert Kraft, owner of the Gillette Stadium where he was due to play, was among them. asserted

he → say → them

He said: “I am not complicit. asserted

I → say → ?

I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. asserted

I → have → conflict

“Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. asserted

I → choose → them

“Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own personal way.” The Shape Of You singer said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine”, and added he respected Macklemore “as an artist”. Rowe said on Instagram he did not take the decision to quit the tour “lightly”, adding Sheeran “has been a friend to me and has changed my life”. Rowe said: “I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. Read More “I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal. “I need to be true to myself and my ancestors who resisted colonisation, and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland. asserted

I → mean → Ireland

In their post, Beoga said: “We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.” asserted

We → say → lobbies

Sheeran’s representatives were contacted for comment. asserted

representatives → contact → comment

Artists touring with Ed Sheeran quit over rapper’s removal amid Palestine row

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Claims (13 extracted, 0 hedged)