Following the backlash from the Sept. 4 concert on Ed Sheeran’s 2026 “Loop Tour,” where Macklemore was eventually dropped from the tour as an opening act for speaking up about Palestine, Ed Sheeran issued an apology statement at his show on Sept. 19 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. However, Sheeran’s statement came off as just damage control rather than a genuine attempt to defend the dropped artists and speak out against the Israel and Palestine conflict.
After Sheeran’s statement reached the internet, the biggest detail people have noticed is that the speech felt like a pre-approved script, even noting that it looked as if he was looking down at a teleprompter to read off what he was supposed to say. Many compared Sheeran’s words to Macklemore’s, praising the way Macklemore didn’t need a script and that every word was from the heart. People don’t want scripts, they want real, true opinions and feelings.
Although Sheeran did address what is happening in Gaza, describing it as catastrophic and unjustifiable, he also mentioned the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel which, while tragic, is often used to justify the genocide of Palestine. The mention of Oct. 7 can lead people to the conclusion that he has taken Israel’s side, even if he didn’t outwardly say that.
Too little, too late, his statement feels like a lot of nothing when all everyone wanted to hear was “Free Palestine.” Sheeran claims to be humanitarian, but his neutral standpoint feels ignorant when he has the chance to speak out against one of the most pressing humanitarian issues and ignores it.
Sheeran’s statement only raises more speculation about his true intentions. This show marks the continuation of his tour being the first show since Sept. 14. This makes his statement look like a PR clean up to not lose money, however he is achieving the exact opposite. Choosing to dance around the subject instead of speaking up for Palestine when he has the perfect chance to, comes off as extremely insincere. It’s clear that saving his tour and salvaging his fanbase is more important to him than activism, however this is only going to destroy his image and make the situation much worse.
