Ed Sheeran says situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic and unjustifiable' as he opens solo concert
PHILADELPHIA —
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he → say → concert
Ed Sheeran opened a solo concert Saturday with comments about Gaza after controversy swirled around his tour and supporting acts withdrew in solidarity with opener Macklemore, who was dropped after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage.
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who → open → comments
Sheeran said he wants his music and shows to be about unity and humanity, not politics.
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music → say → unity
But he said the attacks in Israel of Oct. 7, 2023, were horrific and what is happening in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable.
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what → say → Gaza
"I don't want to disappoint fans, and I've never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," Sheeran said during his performance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
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Sheeran → want → Philadelphia
The comments before a nearly full stadium came after a tumultuous week that began with rapper Macklemore, Sheeran's original U.S. opener, being dropped in response to exclaiming "Free Palestine" during a Sept. 5 show in New Jersey.
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Macklemore → come → Jersey
Sheeran has said he was not responsible for the decision, which came at the urging of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
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which → say → Kraft
His company owns a stadium where Sheeran's tour was scheduled to play on Friday.
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tour → own → Friday
Within hours of Sheeran's statement Tuesday, his supporting acts withdrew.
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acts → support → statement
Sheeran has performed much of his Loop Tour concerts solo, but he was joined for several songs at each stop by the Irish folk band Beoga.
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he → perform → band
Macklemore was replaced by Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe before they backed out, and Finneas, Billie Eilish's brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year before he too dropped out this week.
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he → replace → America
Before Saturday's show, a small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators congregated outside the stadium.
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group → congregate → stadium
Hillary Steinberg, 34, said she got concert tickets a year ago but wound up getting a refund and attended the demonstration instead, disappointed that Sheeran did not take a stand.
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Sheeran → say → stand
"I was, until this week, a big Ed Sheeran fan," Steinberg said.
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Steinberg → say → week
"I think all art is political, and all music is political, and so this choice — even though he was saying that he wasn't complicit — is a political choice."
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he → think → ?
Diane Savitz, a 53-year-old from Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, got tickets months ago and attended.
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Savitz → get → tickets
She said she is a big Sheeran fan, doesn't think he did anything wrong and a concert is not the place for politics.
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concert → say → politics
"A concert should be for people enjoying the music.
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concert → enjoy → music
Music should bring people together," Savitz said.
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Savitz → bring → people
"Everyone has their right to freedom of speech, but not every platform is the place for it."
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platform → have → it
Macklemore said Wednesday he is donating $1 million to support Palestinian relief efforts and called on Kraft to match the gift; a spokesperson for Kraft has said the billionaire and Sheeran have each agreed to donate $2 million but have not specified where the money will be directed.
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money → say → million
Sheeran's representatives have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
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representatives → respond → comment
Sheeran's Loop Tour was the highest-grossing in the world, with an average box office gross of over $7 million per city, Pollstar said in May.
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Pollstar → gross → May
Through the end of 2025, Sheeran was the No. 3 top-earning concert act since 2021.
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Sheeran → earn → 2021
Sheeran has said the tour promoter was ultimately responsible for the decision to drop Macklemore.
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promoter → say → Macklemore
The Grammy winner was adamant earlier this week that he wouldn't be drawn into discussion of the war in Gaza, arguing that his fans don't come to his shows to hear about these issues.
He also said he "spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge" before Macklemore was dropped.
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Macklemore → draw → bridge
He insisted he would never willingly let down his fans or abandon the touring crew and others who rely on him to make a living.
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who → insist → living
While promoters and venues wield great power over concert tours, experts say an artist of Sheeran's magnitude generally has the final say about what happens concerning the shows.
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what → wield → shows
Sheeran told the crowd in Philadelphia that everyone is welcome at his concerts, and they can have opposing points of view while still singing his songs, which are about "love, hope, and unity."
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which → tell → love
He also told fans he worries about venues preapproving performances.
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venues → tell → performances
"This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world," Sheeran said.
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Sheeran → happen → world
The Aporia
