Ed Sheeran asks for forgiveness in Philadelphia and labels the situation in Gaza as "unjustifiable" after his opening acts abandoned him
The British musician describes Israel's offensive in Gaza as "catastrophic and disproportionate" at the start of his concert
BarcelonaBritish singer Ed Sheeran apologized yesterday at his first concert since expelling Macklemore over his pro-Palestinian comments and losing part of his tour members. Sheeran addressed the audience at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and admitted that he had made "mistakes."
"I have never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has placed me in the middle of a passionate debate about freedom of expression and the most complex political conflict on the planet," said Sheeran. The artist explained that until now he had avoided acting as a political commentator, but that what is happening in Gaza "is a humanitarian issue" and that he can no longer hide what he feels. The singer described Israel's offensive in Gaza as "catastrophic, disproportionate, and unjustifiable." The statements represent a radical shift from the stance he maintained earlier in the week, when he argued on social media that the public did not go to his concerts looking for a "political forum."
The conflict erupted when tycoon Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough (Massachusetts), announced that he would not allow Macklemore to perform at the concerts on September 25 and 26. The veto was motivated by the rapper's last performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4, where he proclaimed "Free Palestine" and showed images of the destruction in Gaza. The expulsion of Macklemore caused a chain reaction: the three remaining opening acts (Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe) and Sheeran's own backing band, the traditional Irish group Beoga, resigned en masse from continuing the tour with Sheeran.
Sheeran reiterated that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoters and the stadium owners, not by him, although he said he is "deeply" concerned that stadiums intend to censor artists' opinions.
The crisis management has taken its toll on the Loop Tour in the United States and has caused a notable drop in sales. Yesterday, Saturday, at the gates of the Philadelphia stadium, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered before the show to inform attendees about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
