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Join today<\/a><\/p>\n \n Already a member? Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n Your support makes all the difference.Read more<\/p>\n Sting<\/a> has said Ed Sheeran<\/a> is in \u201ca difficult dilemma\u201d amid the continued controversy over Macklemore<\/a>\u2019s removal from his tour.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Macklemore announced he had been fired from the British singer-songwriter\u2019s Loop tour over his pro-Palestine<\/a> comments at an earlier gig. Macklemore claimed that Robert Kraft<\/a> \u2013 the CEO of Kraft Group who owns Gillette Stadium \u2013 personally called Sheeran to say he would not be allowed to perform at the venue, while Sheeran later responded by stating he would not be drawn into a public debate<\/a> about the Gaza war and that it was \u201cthe promoter\u2019s decision\u201d to remove Macklemore.<\/p>\n The fallout continued when Sheeran\u2019s other opening acts withdrew<\/a>, while protesters gathered outside his first Macklemore-less concert last week<\/a>.<\/p>\n During an appearance on Sky News<\/a> and introduced as an artist who has \u201cnever shied away from talking about politics\u201d, Sting was asked whether there is a fine line between censorship and a venue exercising its right to stop shows.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a very, very obvious distinction between hate speech \u2013 with everyone abhors \u2013 and legitimate political criticism,\u201d Sting replied. \u201cThe latter is something [that is] one of our rights as a democracy. In a functioning democracy, you have to be able to take political criticism in a public forum. That is part of the deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if he \u201cfeels\u201d for Sheeran amid the ongoing saga, Sting said: \u201cIt\u2019s a difficult dilemma that he\u2019s in.\u201d<\/p>\n Sting has been involved in social and political causes for decades, using his platform to raise awareness for global famine and deforestation, and famously sang on Band Aid\u2019s \u201cDo They Know It\u2019s Christmas?\u201d in 1984. In recent years he has campaigned for drug decriminalisation, and, in 2018, for a second vote on Brexit. In 2011, he cancelled a concert in Astana, Kazakhstan after being informed by Amnesty International of concerns over the rights of Kazakh oil and gas workers and their families.<\/p>\n Returning to the stage on 19 September, Sheeran read a prepared statement from an autocue, declaring: \u201cI\u2019ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes. I\u2019m so, so sorry. I don\u2019t want to disappoint fans. I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cWhat happened in Israel, and at the music festival on October 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate. My heart has been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilian loss and loss of children\u2019s lives. And the systemic injustice we\u2019re seeing unfolding in the West Bank cannot be overlooked.\u201d<\/p>\n He also said that he went ahead with the show \u2013 despite backlash and the exodus of his opening acts \u2013 to honour his commitment to his fans, adding that it is \u201ccompletely central to who\u201d he is.<\/p>\n Just hours earlier, Saturday Night Live UK mocked Sheeran in a sketch<\/a>, which depicted the singer as \u201csitting on the fence\u201d as war broke out between humans and artificially intelligent robots. \u201cI don\u2019t like to take sides. I don\u2019t want to alienate any of my fans \u2013 humans or robots,\u201d cast member Annabel Marlow said as Sheeran, complete with ginger hair, guitar and tattoos.<\/p>\n Sheeran\u2019s on-stage statement later drew backlash itself, with singer Charlotte Church condemning him at one of her own gigs<\/a> on Monday (21 September).<\/p>\n \u201cWhilst he has made millions and has an enormous following, he has an enormous platform to do real good in the world,\u201d she said. \u201cHe chose consumerism and capitalism over doing the right thing. Ed Sheeran, we\u2019re watching you. Free Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Sting has weighed in on the continued Ed Sheeran\/Macklemore controversy (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Protesters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2295575588.jpeg\")
Protesters gather outside of Ed Sheeran’s Philadelphia concert on Saturday (19 September) (Getty Images)<\/p>\n