Ed Sheeran Calls Situation in Gaza ‘Catastrophic and Unjustifiable’ at Philadelphia Tour Stop

Ed Sheeran addressed the Gaza conflict during his solo concert Saturday (Sept. 19) in Philadelphia, following tour disruptions caused by supporting acts withdrawing in solidarity with opener Macklemore, who was dropped after making pro-Palestinian remarks onstage.

Sheeran stated that he wants his music and shows to focus on unity and humanity rather than politics. He described the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as horrific and called the ongoing situation in Gaza catastrophic and unjustifiable.

“My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, of children’s lives,” Sheeran said to the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field.

Sheeran has performed much of his Loop Tour solo while featuring the Irish folk band Beoga for several songs at each stop. Macklemore, his original U.S. opener, was replaced by the Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe before those acts also withdrew.

Finneas, brother and musical collaborator of Billie Eilish, was scheduled to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year before dropping out earlier in the week.

A small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the stadium before the concert. Hillary Steinberg, a 34-year-old from Philadelphia, stated that she obtained a refund for tickets purchased a year ago and joined the protest because she was disappointed Sheeran did not take a stand.

“I was, until this week, a big Ed Sheeran fan,” Steinberg said. “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.”

The performance followed a turbulent week that began with Macklemore being dropped after shouting “Free Palestine” during a Sept. 5 show in New Jersey. Sheeran stated he was not responsible for the decision, which followed pressure from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns a stadium where the tour was scheduled to play on Friday.

The supporting acts withdrew within hours of Sheeran releasing a statement Tuesday.

Concertgoer Diane Savitz, 53, of Stroudsburg, stated Saturday that she is a major fan of Sheeran, believes he did nothing wrong, and thinks concerts are not the appropriate venue for politics.

“A concert should be for people enjoying the music. Music should bring people together,” Savitz said. “Everyone has their right to freedom of speech, but not every platform is the place for it.”

Macklemore announced Wednesday that he is donating $1 million to Palestinian relief efforts and called on Kraft to match the contribution. A spokesperson for Kraft stated that the billionaire and Sheeran have each agreed to donate $2 million without specifying the destination of the funds. Representatives for Sheeran did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Pollstar reported in May that Sheeran’s Loop Tour was the highest-grossing worldwide, averaging over $7 million per city at the box office. Sheeran ranked as the No. 3 top-earning concert act from 2021 through the end of 2025.

Sheeran stated that the tour promoter held ultimate responsibility for dropping Macklemore. In his Tuesday statement, the Grammy winner maintained that he would not be drawn into discussions about the war in Gaza, arguing that fans do not attend his shows to hear about those issues.

He added that he “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge” prior to Macklemore’s removal, and insisted he would never willingly let down fans or abandon his touring crew and staff.

While promoters and venues wield substantial power over concert tours, industry experts note that an artist of Sheeran’s stature generally holds final authority regarding decisions affecting their shows.

Sheeran told the Philadelphia audience that everyone is welcome at his concerts and that attendees can hold opposing viewpoints while still singing his songs about love, hope, and unity.