Pink Condemns Macklemore's Anti-Israel Opening Act at Ed Sheeran Concert
Pop star Pink has publicly criticized rapper Macklemore for turning Ed Sheeran's New Jersey concert into an anti-Israel political rally, as Jewish fans and the IAC demand his removal from the tour.
The American pop star Pink has joined the growing wave of criticism against rapper Macklemore following his controversial pro-Palestinian opening performance at an Ed Sheeran concert in New Jersey. Pink, who boasts 12 million followers on Instagram, shared a video on her stories criticizing the decision to turn Sheeran's stage into a political arena.
The shared video featured clips from Macklemore's performance alongside the text:
"Terrible. Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in New Jersey, not to be ambushed by Macklemore with anti-Israel propaganda. Instead, Macklemore took the stage wearing a keffiyeh, shouted 'Free Palestine', falsely accused Israel of 'genocide', and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the State of Israel."
Political Propaganda at MetLife Stadium
Macklemore performed as the opening act for Ed Sheeran at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as part of the "Mathematics Tour" (stylized as +–=÷× Tour). During his set, the rapper wore a keffiyeh, projected images of Gaza and anti-Israel slogans on the giant screens, and performed "Hind's Hall"—a track he released in support of pro-Palestinian campus protests across the United States.
Addressing the crowd, Macklemore said:
"I want the people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they are not forgotten. Every single human being on this earth deserves the same freedom—to know the sounds of safety and peace before they know the sounds of violence, the sound of laughter before airplanes and bombs."
Jewish Fans and Israeli Organizations React
Many Jewish and Israeli concertgoers expressed shock at the heavy political content of the opening act. Michaela, an Israeli fan who flew in specifically for the concert, shared that she felt so uncomfortable that she left during Macklemore's set, ultimately missing Ed Sheeran's performance as well. "It was extremely stressful, threatening, and incredibly scary," she recounted.
In response to the incident, the Israeli-American Council (IAC) launched a petition and contacted Ed Sheeran's tour management, demanding that Macklemore be removed from future shows on the tour.
"This was an Ed Sheeran concert, not a political rally, a protest, or an activist event," the IAC stated in its petition.
Macklemore has been vocal in his opposition to Israel since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. In November 2023, he spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally in Washington, D.C., where he accused Israel of genocide. However, the backlash has now reached a new level as major mainstream artists like Pink publicly condemn the politicization of music venues.
