Ed Sheeran's decision to drop Macklemore from his U.S. Loop Tour has sparked a wave of support for the rapper from several public figures. Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, revealed on Monday that he had been removed from the remainder of the tour following his repeated onstage calls to "Free Palestine." The forty-three-year-old had been serving as the opening act for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour, but drew criticism from Jewish groups after making political speeches and calling for Palestinian freedom at two concerts.As per a report shared by BBC, Macklemore stood by his comments on Monday, confirming he had been cut from the tour. He wrote in a statement that the real victims are the Palestinian people in Gaza. A number of public figures have since rallied behind him. Jann Arden, who has more than seventy thousand followers on Threads, was among those who shared their support."I am very proud to stand with @macklemore," she shared.Source: https://www.threads.com/share/DbXSnEL0e/Actor Wil Wheaton, who is fifty-four years old, also weighed in on the same platform with stronger words, taking direct aim at Sheeran."Ed Sheeran let Robert Kraft tell him what to do. The same Robert Kraft who is in the Epstein files again and again. Macklemore has character and integrity. Ed Sheeran does not," shared Wheaton.Source: https://www.threads.com/share/HG4fasd35/What Macklemore said at Ed Sheeran's concert that led to his removal from the Loop Tour:Z100's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025 - Arrivals - Source: GettyAs per a report shared by BBC, it was September 4 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey where Macklemore, opening for Ed Sheeran, stopped the show to say something that nobody in that stadium was expecting."A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine," he told the crowd.Hind's Hall followed, a song that takes direct aim at Israel's military action in Gaza, with footage of the destruction playing out on the big screen behind him. StopAntisemitism, a campaign group, wasn't having it, saying Jewish fans showed up to hear Ed Sheeran sing, not to be hit with what they called anti-Israel propaganda.The very next night Macklemore was back on that same stage, this time speaking straight to his Jewish audience members."Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you," he said. He wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they hadn't been forgotten, he added.Israel denies genocide allegations, saying its operations in Gaza and the West Bank are lawful acts of self-defence. The campaign there started after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking two hundred and fifty-one hostage.Macklemore says the real victims are Palestinians as Ms. Rachel and others slam Ed Sheeran:Macklemore performs live on stage during the 5th Lollapalooza Paris Festival on July 19, 2025 in Paris, France - Source: GettyAs per a report shared by Billboard, Messina Touring Group, the promoter behind Sheeran's U.S. Loop Tour, confirmed on Monday that upcoming venues would not allow concerts to go ahead with Macklemore on the lineup. Keeping him on the bill, they said, risked cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans. Macklemore then shared his own account of what led to that decision, alleging that Robert Kraft had pressured Sheeran over his participation and that other stadium owners had joined in on the ultimatum.For Macklemore though, losing opening spots on a tour wasn't the point."I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. The victims are the Palestinian people," he wrote in his Instagram statement.Macklemore argued that the attention should stay firmly on Palestinians living through the war in Gaza and the West Bank. That message didn't stay quiet for long. Ms. Rachel, the children's educator and YouTube star known for her preschool programming, addressed Sheeran directly in an Instagram post, arguing he had an opportunity he chose not to take."Ed Sheeran had an opportunity to show that we won't be bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine. Instead he caved to people who refuse to accept what the world knows. A genocide is happening in Gaza. We all need to speak on it," she wrote. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostGarbage slam Ed Sheeran's decision as Kehlani shows love for Macklemore:Kehlani attends the 2026 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California - Source: GettyRock band Garbage wasn't about to stay quiet. The group shared a screenshot of a Rolling Stone headline covering Macklemore's removal from the tour, and the caption they put on it left little room for interpretation."This is madness. Sheer madness," they wrote. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostGarbage went further, calling the whole thing "so wildly unjust" and making the point that nothing Macklemore said on those stages was violent or hateful. Kehlani had her own message for Macklemore, leaving it straight in the comments section beneath his Instagram statement."A LOT of venues / owners are rallied together this way. Honored to know you brother. Adore you." she commented.