'Unjustifiable': Singer Ed Sheeran says his 'heart broken' by G@za devastation

Singer Ed Sheeran addressed the controversy surrounding rapper Macklemore’s removal from his US tour during a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday, saying his “heart has been broken” by the devastation caused by the war in Gaza.

Speaking to the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, Sheeran said he had not wanted to become involved in political activism but had found himself at the centre of a debate over freedom of speech.

“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,” he said.

Sheeran condemned the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel as “horrific” and described Israel’s war in Gaza as “catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate.”

“My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians’ lives, children’s lives,” he said.

He also said “systemic injustice” in the West Bank could not be ignored.

“This week, the criticism was about something much more important and I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” Sheeran said.

Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran’s remaining US tour dates after making pro-Palestinian remarks during a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month.

Macklemore said he was removed following pressure from stadium owners. Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, said the rapper’s participation was cancelled because of what he described as a history of “antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.”

Sheeran said he had “spoke with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge” before Macklemore’s removal.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered near the Philadelphia venue before the concert, while fans expressed differing views over the controversy.

Sheeran told the audience that “everyone is welcome” at his concerts.

“My concerts have always been a safe space for everyone, and that matters hugely to me,” he said.