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Ed Sheeran's North American tour was disrupted when four supporting acts, including Aaron Rowe, Beoga, Lukas Graham, and Finneas, withdrew in support of rapper Macklemore, who was removed from the tour for making pro-Palestinian remarks during a concert. Macklemore's ouster occurred after he expressed support for Palestine on September 5, leading to backlash from some venues that threatened to drop the tour. The four acts emphasized their solidarity with oppressed peoples and criticized the power dynamics involved in voicing political issues, with Finneas explicitly stating his stance on the matter and Rowe referencing Irish colonial history in their justifications for leaving the tour.

Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour faced significant disruptions as several supporting acts, including Irish musicians Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and US artist Finneas, withdrew in response to the removal of rapper Macklemore due to his pro-Palestinian stance. Macklemore was dropped after he shouted "Free Palestine!" during a performance and subsequently claimed that venue owners, led by Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, pressured tour promoters to remove him. While Macklemore criticized the actions as silencing artists, Sheeran distanced himself from the decision, stating it was made by the promoters and emphasizing his desire to remain neutral in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ed Sheeran criticized his tour promoter for dropping Macklemore after the rapper made pro-Palestine comments, stating that venue owners threatened to cancel future shows if he remained on the tour. Macklemore claimed that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, pressured Sheeran to remove him due to his comments, and the situation led to several supporting artists quitting the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran emphasized that while he holds personal views on the Israel-Palestine conflict, he prefers to keep his performances politically neutral to create a safe space for all audience members.

All four supporting acts for Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour have withdrawn in solidarity with Macklemore following his removal due to comments made about Palestine, which sparked backlash and pressure from venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, the Irish band Beoga, and Danish pop band Lukas Graham all expressed their discontent on social media regarding censorship and the silencing of voices advocating for Palestinian rights. Sheeran clarified that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter and venue owners, rather than himself, stating he was "appalled" by the conflict and the suffering it causes.

All remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, and the band Lukas Graham, quit after Macklemore was removed for making pro-Palestinian remarks during a New Jersey concert. Macklemore had called for a "free Palestine" and faced backlash from Jewish groups, leading to pressure on the tour promoters, Messina Touring Group, which ultimately decided to drop him. Ed Sheeran stated he would not engage in a public debate over Gaza, emphasizing that while he has personal views on the conflict, he prefers not to use his platform for political discussions, as he aims to provide a safe environment for his diverse audience.

Ed Sheeran faced backlash after removing Macklemore from his North American tour due to the rapper's support for Palestine during a performance at MetLife Stadium, where he delivered a speech saying, “Free Palestine,” and addressed the suffering in Gaza. Sheeran clarified that the decision to drop Macklemore from the eight remaining tour dates stemmed from pressure from venue owners, including Robert Kraft, who would not host the concert with Macklemore present, and that the promoter made the final call. Despite the controversy, Sheeran reiterated his respect for Macklemore as an artist and his disapproval of the conflict, expressing concern for the suffering on both sides and emphasizing the importance of humanitarian issues.

American billionaire Robert Kraft confirmed that he pressured pop star Ed Sheeran to remove rapper Macklemore from Sheeran's upcoming tour over concerns related to Macklemore's pro-Palestine stance and alleged antisemitic rhetoric. Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, claimed allowing Macklemore to perform there would cross a line, while Macklemore alleged that Kraft had rallied other venue owners to threaten withdrawal if he remained on the tour. Macklemore's controversy began with a speech about Palestine during a performance at MetLife Stadium, which sparked backlash and led to a petition for his removal from the tour.

Billionaire Robert Kraft has confirmed that rapper Macklemore is barred from performing at Gillette Stadium on September 25 and 26 due to what Kraft termed Macklemore's "antisemitic rhetoric and imagery." The decision came after Macklemore faced backlash for expressing support for Palestine during recent performances, leading to his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour, as venue promoters indicated they would not host concerts with him in the lineup, impacting hundreds of thousands of fans. Macklemore alleged that Kraft pressured other stadium owners to exclude him, while Kraft stated that the advocacy for Palestine should not undermine the concerns of the Jewish community or obscure the actions of Hamas.

Macklemore has been removed from the remainder of Ed Sheeran's US Loop tour following his "free Palestine" speech delivered at MetLife Stadium on September 4, where he expressed support for Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The decision came after venues threatened to cancel upcoming shows unless Macklemore was dropped from the lineup, affecting eight of the remaining ten concerts. Macklemore was vocal about his intentions to use the tour to advocate for Palestinians, stating that he would no longer deserve a stage if he chose to remain silent for his own comfort.