Macklemore says Free Palestine tour shows sold out immediately

 Macklemore has said that tickets for his Free Palestine tour, announced in the wake of the Ed Sheeran concert fallout, have sold out immediately.

The rapper announced last week that he will be joined by other musicians, who will be announced at a later date, at three October concerts held at Dublin’s 3 Arena, Paris’s Accor Arena and London’s Wembley Arena. All proceeds from the shows will go to organizations supporting Palestinians.

“We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like.”

“When those in power try to silence our calls for liberation, art will always be a form of resistance. Dublin, Paris and London, thank you for showing up the way you did. The response to these shows is another reminder of how many people across the world are standing together for a free Palestine,” he added.

Earlier this month, Macklemore announced he had been dropped from the U.S. dates of Sheeran’s Loop tour over his pro-Palestine comments onstage. He claimed that Robert Kraft — the CEO of Kraft Group who owns Gillette Stadium — personally called Sheeran to say he would not be allowed to perform at the venue.

Ed Sheeran said he was ‘so sorry’ for disappointing fans onstage for the first time after the Macklemore controversy on September 19 (Reuters)

Sheeran faced backlash from fans and commentators for his response when he stated that he would not be drawn into a public debate about the Gaza war and that it was “the promoter’s decision” to remove Macklemore. The fallout continued when Sheeran’s other opening acts withdrew, while protesters gathered outside his first concert without Macklemore last week.