Ed Sheeran took to the stage in Philadelphia this evening for the first time since the controversy sparked by the exclusion of rapper Macklemore from his tour, following the latter's pro-Palestinian statements. The removal of the opening act, who had called for the "liberation of Palestine" at the beginning of September, drew an unprecedented wave of criticism against the British pop star, who until now had been widely admired and far removed from controversy.
Several dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside a subway station near Lincoln Financial Field, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine." Police officers, in around a dozen cars, monitored the peaceful demonstration from a distance.
Ahead of Saturday evening's concert, the author of the worldwide hit "Shape of You" attempted to quell the controversy with a message posted on Instagram, stating that he does not "want to turn his work into a political platform." "I am not complicit. I have my own personal opinions on this devastating conflict. The fact that I choose not to speak out publicly does not mean I don't have them or that the issue is not close to my heart," he added. However, accused of failing to defend his friend Macklemore and, above all, of not speaking out about the conditions of Palestinians in Gaza, Sheeran has been abandoned by other musicians on his tour and risks a fan boycott. In the Pennsylvania city, a pro-Gaza demonstration was planned this afternoon outside the concert venue. Meanwhile, the price of the cheapest tickets has plummeted from $123 to $67.
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