Progressive pop star Pink has added her voice to the backlash against left-wing rapper Macklemore who is facing criticism over his pro-Palestine and anti-Israel tirade at a recent Ed Sheeran concert.
The “Just Give Me a Reason” singer dedicated a post to the Macklemore imbroglio by reposting an Instagram Story from StopAntisemitism which blasted Macklemore for his support for Hamas-led Palestine at the Sheeran concert last Friday and is calling or Sheeran to fire Macklemore from the tour.
Pink did not add any comments of her own, but it appears she was endorsing the criticism of Macklemore’s performance, TMZ reported.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, is being castigated for saying “Free Palestine” from the stage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey last week. He also accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza.
“I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” the “Thrift Shop” singer yelled to the audience.
He wore a Palestinian Keffiyeh onstage and the view screen behind him flashed “Free Palestine” images.
The group StopAntisemitism posted a message to X reminding followers that Macklemore once appeared on stage dressed as a Jew and wearing a fake giant nose, a long-time antisemitic trope.
Macklemore is often seen engaging in extremist politics from the stage and, as the New York Post reported, often screams “Fuck America” along with his pro-Hamas rhetoric.
On Friday performed his song “Hindi’s Hall,” which was written about the pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University. Images of Gaza appeared on the screen behind him during the tune.
Many blasted the rapper and his host, Ed Sheeran, for the display of hate. And the Israeli-American Council started a petition on Sunday demanding that Sheeran drop Macklemore from his tour.
“This was an Ed Sheeran concert – not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event,” the IAC said in its statement.
“The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views. The question is where to draw the line when an opening act uses a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda,” the statement continued.
“This becomes even more troubling when the message relies on selective imagery, biased messaging, and disputed claims presented to a massive audience as fact, without context or complexity.”
The organization went farther to demand that all concert venues to establish boundaries concern political expressions during concerts.
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