All singers withdrew from Ed Sheeran's concert after rapper Macklemore was expelled for pro-Palestinian statements

All bands and artists who performed as opening acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour withdrew after Macklemore was excluded from the tour for pro-Palestinian statements made on stage, writes BBC.

Among them was Finneas, brother of pop star Billie Eilish. In his statement, he said: "Artists cannot be forced to remain silent when they speak out in defense of the oppressed."

Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham also announced their withdrawal. Irish folk band Beoga, who perform with Sheeran on stage every night, also pulled out.

These statements came just hours after Sheeran stated he would not get involved in the public debate surrounding Gaza, and emphasized that it was not his decision to exclude Macklemore from the tour.

"Macklemore left the tour by decision of the organizers; it was not my decision," Sheeran wrote on Instagram.

"I would never let down fans who have already planned their trips, nor would I leave the touring team, as well as other artists and musicians who depend on this work and earn their living from it, without support," he said.

Earlier this month, Macklemore — real name Benjamin Haggerty — called for a "free Palestine" and showed images of destruction in Gaza during two concerts in New Jersey.

His statements drew criticism from Jewish organizations. Following this, some venues began to pressure the tour organizers to remove him from the program.

In his statement, Sheeran said that throughout the week he "spoke at length" with venue representatives, trying to "build bridges" between the sides, but ultimately the tour organizers, Messina Touring Group, decided to terminate their cooperation with Macklemore.

Sheeran stated that he is "deeply affected by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," and that the "suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy." However, he also tried to explain his decision to stay away from political issues in his professional activities.

"I am not an accomplice," he wrote. "I have a personal opinion on this devastating conflict. My choice not to speak publicly does not mean I have no opinion or that I don't care."

The scandal began on September 4, when Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran's concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

He told the audience: "A big part of the reason I wanted to go on this tour in the first place is so I could come out to stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine'."

After that, he performed his song "Hind's Hall," dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University and critical of Israel's military actions in Gaza. During this time, footage of the destruction in Gaza was shown on the big screen.

Part of the audience cheered his words, but criticism quickly began online.

The Israeli American Council launched a petition demanding his exclusion from the tour. The group StopAntisemitism stated that the musician caught fans off guard with propaganda — a claim also spread by pop star Pink, who reposted it on Instagram.

The following evening, Macklemore returned to the same stage and directly addressed his "Jewish brothers and sisters" in the audience.

"Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, speaking out against genocide — none of this is a criticism of you," he said, adding that he wanted the people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they have not been forgotten.

Israel denies accusations of genocide, asserting that its military conducts self-defense operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in accordance with international law.

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