Ed Sheeran admits he was wrong about excluding Macklemore from his tour

Ed Sheeran stated on Saturday evening in Philadelphia that the situation in Gaza is “unjustifiable” and acknowledged that he had made “mistakes.” The concert was the artist’s first since the controversy surrounding the exclusion of rapper Macklemore from his tour, amid the latter’s pro-Palestinian statements.

Ed Sheeran is being boycotted by pro-Palestinian activists and criticized by artists who were taking part in his tour after he refused to publicly comment on the conflict between Israel and Hamas and the situation of Palestinians in Gaza.

The 35-year-old British singer said Tuesday, in a message posted on Instagram, that he does not turn his profession into a political platform. Sheeran said that he has his own opinions about the conflict, but that choosing not to speak publicly does not mean he is uninvolved or complicit.

The statements were followed by criticism for allegedly failing to support his friend, rapper Macklemore, and for the lack of a public position on the Gaza death toll, estimated in the text at more than 73,000 dead and 174,000 injured. Among the artists who withdrew from the tour is Finneas, the brother of singer Billie Eilish.

On Saturday, the PACBI organization called for a boycott of Sheeran’s concerts. Near one of the performances, dozens of demonstrators chanted “Free Palestine” and waved Palestinian flags. The protest was peaceful and monitored by police.