Macklemore Says U.S. Arenas Declined Free Palestine Tour
Macklemore said nine major U.S. arenas turned down his Free Palestine benefit tour. He made the claim in an Instagram statement on Nov. 6.
- 9 arenas named, including Madison Square Garden, Kia Forum and Chase Center.
- He says dates offered in mid-September vanished once venues learned the cause.
- 3 sold-out European shows ran in Dublin, Paris and London.
- $1 million from his Sheeran contract went to Palestinian aid.
Why it matters: The dispute began in September, when Macklemore was dropped as an opener on Sheeran's Loop tour after pro-Palestinian remarks onstage.
- Robert Kraft cited what he called Macklemore's history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.
- Sheeran's other openers and backing band quit the tour in solidarity.
How 16 sources split on this story
Where they split: Macklemore says owners are suppressing pro-Palestinian speech, while Kraft has said his objection was to antisemitic content; the arenas have not explained their decisions.
Center coverage, 6 sources: The center frames the story as Macklemore's claim, stressing that the arena refusals are alleged and unconfirmed.
Left coverage, 7 sources: The left frames the story as major venues shutting out an artist over his pro-Palestinian message.
What’s next: Several outlets asked all nine arenas for comment. None had responded at publication.
- Macklemore said more benefit shows will follow, likely outdoors.
- Why did each arena decline, and did they coordinate?
- Will any U.S. venue agree to host the shows?
