New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed that he barred Seattle rapper Macklemore from opening for Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium following the musician’s public support for Palestinians and calls for a “Free Palestine” at recent concerts.
In a statement provided to Rolling Stone, Kraft said the decision was based on Macklemore’s “recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.” The remarks appeared to reference a 2014 incident in which Macklemore was accused of wearing an antisemitic caricature. He apologized but said he had been attempting to disguise himself.
Kraft said Gillette Stadium is committed to “providing a welcoming environment for all guests” and ensuring its events do not become a platform for hate speech. He added that Macklemore’s participation in Sheeran’s two scheduled Gillette shows “would cross that line.” Macklemore was subsequently removed from the remaining dates of Sheeran’s Loop tour.
Kraft made the announcement after Macklemore claimed Kraft contacted Sheeran and told him the rapper “would not be allowed to perform in his stadium.” Kraft did not address Macklemore’s additional allegation that he contacted other stadium owners and collectively demanded that Sheeran remove him from the tour. A representative for Kraft did not immediately respond to a request for comment on that claim.
The controversy began after Macklemore joined Sheeran’s tour in early September for two shows at MetLife Stadium near New York City. At the first performance, he shouted “Free Palestine,” expressed solidarity with people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, displayed images of destruction caused by Israel’s war in Gaza, and performed “Hind’s Hall,” a protest song about pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University.
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine,’” Macklemore said onstage. “I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
Kraft said his decision was “not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf.” He argued, however, that advocacy “should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas.”
“Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate,” Kraft said. “Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.”
Kraft, who is Jewish, has long supported Israel and Jewish organizations and has donated millions of dollars to those causes. He has also led efforts to combat antisemitism and said he feels “a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed.”
Macklemore has rejected the characterization of his criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the West Bank as antisemitic. “Antisemitism is real,” he wrote after losing his tour dates. “And that is exactly why the word matters too much to be used as a shield against criticism of the Israeli state. When criticizing Israel, opposing Zionism or saying ‘Free Palestine’ gets conflated with hatred of Jewish people, it doesn’t protect Jewish people. It protects Israel from accountability.”
Kraft concluded by expressing his “tremendous respect” for Sheeran and “his unique ability to bring people together and spread joy.” He said he would welcome a conversation with Macklemore because, he added, “ultimately our goal is the same — peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”
A representative for Macklemore did not respond to a request for further comment.
