British pop star Ed Sheeran took the stage alone for the first concert of his US tour following the removal of rapper Macklemore from the lineup after his support for Palestine. Unable to hold back his tears, Sheeran said that what is happening in Gaza is “catastrophic.”

British pop star Ed Sheeran took the stage for the first time amid controversy surrounding the removal of rapper Macklemore from the tour after he made a “Free Palestine” statement on stage.

Sheeran took the stage alone at his Philadelphia concert, which was held amid demonstrations by pro-Palestinian groups outside the stadium and heightened security measures. He apologised to his fans for his “mistakes”.

“I never wanted to be an activist musician, but this situation has put me at the centre of an important and heated debate about freedom of expression and one of the most complex political issues on the planet. I have had to make difficult decisions and face difficult decisions. I make mistakes, and I’m very, very sorry for that,” the singer said, becoming emotional and unable to hold back his tears.

‘What is happening in Gaza is indefensible and disproportionate’

“What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic, indefensible and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of the destruction and the loss of civilian lives, including children. The systematic injustice taking place in the West Bank cannot be ignored either. I am trying to find ways to make a contribution that will help those affected, while listening and learning, because I know I do not know enough.”

‘I can no longer hide how I feel’

Sheeran said, “Now, I want to address where I stand on the situation in Israel and Palestine,” and continued:

“Throughout my career, I have tried not to be a political commentator on any issue because I want my music and my concerts to be about humanity rather than politics, and about unity rather than division. But this is a humanitarian issue, and I can no longer hide how I feel about it.”

The controversy began with Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ statement

The controversy began after rapper Macklemore shouted “Free Palestine” from the stage during a concert in New Jersey. The rapper was subsequently removed from the lineup of Sheeran’s US tour after the owners of some of the stadiums hosting concerts as part of Sheeran’s Loop Tour objected to Macklemore performing at their venues.

Sheeran said the decision was not his and that the organiser had decided to remove Macklemore from the tour.

Source: NTV.com.tr

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