Ed Sheeran called the situation in Gaza "catastrophic and unjustifiable" on September 19, 2026, opening his first concert since a controversy over the removal of Macklemore from his "Loop" tour.
The show took place at Lincoln Financial stadium. It was Sheeran's first performance since Macklemore was dropped from the tour after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage, NBC News reported. Other supporting acts withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, according to NPR.
Protesters gathered outside Lincoln Financial that same evening to denounce Macklemore's removal, NBC News said.