{"id":778618,"date":"2026-09-22T06:42:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T06:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/778618\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T06:42:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T06:42:14","slug":"bob-geldof-defends-good-man-ed-sheeran-says-he-really-admires-macklemore-and-the-guys-who-walked-amid-palestine-row","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/778618\/","title":{"rendered":"Bob Geldof defends \u201cgood man\u201d Ed Sheeran, says he “really admires Macklemore and the guys who walked” amid Palestine row"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bob Geldof<\/a> has defended Ed Sheeran<\/a> amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Macklemore<\/a> being dropped from the singer\u2019s \u2018Loop\u2019 tour over pro-Palestine comments<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Boomtown Rats<\/a> frontman has weighed in on the row, arguing that artists have the right to decide whether they want to use their platform to speak on political issues, while also praising Macklemore and the musicians who subsequently withdrew from Sheeran\u2019s tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn artist has the absolute right to choose what he wants to say and when he wants to say it,\u201d Geldof told the Belfast Telegraph<\/a>. \u201cThere are those who say, y\u2019know, at a certain level of fame, having a non-political stance is political. No, that\u2019s not right. Fame is a currency, and it depends on how you want to use it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t expect The Rolling Stones<\/a> to get up and go on about Gaza, you just wouldn\u2019t. Why? Because it\u2019s not their thing, although I\u2019m quite sure that Mick Jagger<\/a> has an opinion on it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gelfof did, however, reserve praise for those who took a stand, adding:\u00a0\u201cI really admire Macklemore and the guys who walked, because it\u2019s a hard ask.\u00a0They are making a big quid for the first time in their lives, y\u2019know, and he just said, \u2018No, mate\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u203c\ufe0f| HQ video of Ed Sheeran\u2019s full speech before his show tonight in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com\/K8uElEtT8U<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He instead directed his criticism towards Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and the tour\u2019s promoters.<\/p>\n

\u201cShame on Kraft, and shame on the promoters,\u201d Geldof said. \u201cShame on them! But not shame on Sheeran.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey both should be supported by the promoters that put on their concerts and by the owners of the stadium,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s certainly none of their fucking business what an artist gets up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

The comments come after Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia on Saturday (September 19) and admitted making \u201cmistakes\u201d over the Macklemore row<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field, Sheeran said the fallout had made him question whether he wanted \u201cto be an artist at all\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I\u2019m so, so sorry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Sheeran also said he had never intended to be \u201can activist musician\u201d, but that the controversy had placed him at the centre of \u201can important and passionate argument about freedom of speech\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content for performers,\u201d he told the audience. \u201cThis happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turning to Gaza, he added: \u201cI\u2019ve tried in my career to not be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheeran described the Hamas-led attack at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 as \u201chorrific\u201d, before saying that what was happening in Gaza was \u201ccatastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate\u201d.<\/p>\n

He also said he was \u201cspeaking to people across the spectrum\u201d about making a humanitarian contribution.<\/p>\n

During the same concert, Sheeran revealed that he had removed the usual B-stage from the show because he was \u201cafraid of what might happen\u201d if he stood in the middle of the crowd<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know if I\u2019d have things thrown at me,\u201d he told fans.<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udfa5| Ed getting emotional tonight on stage while thanking the crowd for the support \u2764\ufe0f\u200d\ud83e\ude79<\/p>\n

\u201cI will never stop doing this.\u201d pic.twitter.com\/L9Mg9uVSrD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Geldof\u2019s defence of Sheeran follows similar comments from former support act Aaron Rowe, who said that anger over the situation should instead be aimed at \u201cthe likes of Robert Kraft\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m gonna be honest, I think youse are all focusing on the wrong person here,\u201d Rowe said. \u201cAll I keep hearing is Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that, when youse really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rowe, who was among the musicians to withdraw from the tour, acknowledged that Sheeran\u2019s initial statement \u201ccould have been a lot better\u201d and maintained that Macklemore should not have been removed.<\/p>\n

However, he added: \u201cAll he has inside of him is kindness. That is who Ed Sheeran is. And yes, like every other human being he makes fucking mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Macklemore was dropped after making an impassioned \u201cFree Palestine\u201d speech during his support slots at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey<\/a>, where he also performed his protest track \u2018Hind\u2019s Hall\u2019 alongside footage from Gaza.<\/p>\n

He subsequently faced calls for his removal from figures including Pink<\/a> and the Israeli American Council.<\/p>\n

Kraft later said he found Macklemore\u2019s comments \u201cdeeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community\u201d. Sheeran has maintained that the final decision to remove the rapper was made by promoter Messina Touring Group after a number of venues objected to Macklemore appearing.<\/p>\n

The move prompted FINNEAS<\/a>, Lukas Graham<\/a>, Rowe and Beoga to withdraw from the tour, while Sheeran\u2019s backing musicians also pulled out.<\/p>\n

\u203c\ufe0f| Ed on removing the B-stage for security concerns tonight:<\/p>\n

“I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me. I didn’t know if people would be angry at me\u2026 I took the B stage out because I was afraid of what might happen if I stood in the middle.” pic.twitter.com\/6Qik3P5AbM<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Macklemore subsequently pledged his entire $1million earnings from the tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians<\/a>. Kraft later said Sheeran had asked him to match a $2million humanitarian contribution.<\/p>\n

Geldof\u2019s comments come despite him having previously spoken forcefully about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Last year, he called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a \u201cliar\u201d and accused Israeli forces of lying about the starvation crisis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Days earlier, he had hit out at the \u201cabysmal\u201d starvation of children in Gaza<\/a>, telling the Israeli public: \u201cYour government and your army seem to be out of control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others have continued to weigh in on the dispute. In an interview with <\/a>NME<\/a> published today <\/a>(September 21), Maruja<\/a> said they hoped the controversy would redirect attention \u201cback to what is actually going on in Palestine\u201d, adding that the situation \u201cisn\u2019t about Macklemore and Ed Sheeran\u201d.<\/p>\n

Frontman Joe Carroll added: \u201cYou get misled that you have to pick a side, but this is a genocide. There shouldn\u2019t be any \u2018picking a side\u2019, it\u2019s just basic human morality.\u201d<\/p>\n