Ed Sheeran weeps on stage, says Israels actions…
Crooner Ed Sheeran called Israel’s actions in Gaza “unjustifiable” as he wept and broke his silence during his first live performance since booting rapper Macklemore from his tour for tirades against the Jewish state.
“I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” Sheeran told the Philly crowd of concertgoers Saturday evening.
Sheeran spoke a number of instances about the controversy during Saturday evening’s show at Lincoln Financial Field, growing progressively more upset as the evening wore on and ultimately telling followers it had been one of the “worst weeks of his life” and that “I really didn’t know whether I’d be even get on stage again, whether I wanted to be an artist at all.”
At the start of the show, before taking part in any music, he zeroed on his emotions about the Gaza War, criticizing both Israel and Hamas.
“I have tried in my career not to be a political commentator of any kind, because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics,” Sheeran said, apparently studying from a teleprompter.
“But this is a humanitarian issue. I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore. What happened in Israel, and at the music festival on October 7th was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain,” he said as he broke down in tears.
“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 life and loss of children’s lives. And the systemic injustice we’re seeing unfolding the West Bank cannot be overlooked,” the singer-songwriter said.
He also said the he was used to his music being criticized but said “this week the criticism was about something much more important, and I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry.”
He later shared that his first live performance back “is not the usual ‘Loop’ show” as he was fearful of how the gang would react after Macklemore’s departure.
Ed Sheeran returned to his tour during a stop at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Lone Pine press for NYPost
Sheeran gave a temporary intro before going into his common set on the “LOOP tour” Lone Pine Press for NY Post
“I usually go out to a B stage and I’m going to be totally honest with you, I didn’t know what this audience would be like tonight,” Sheeran said, including, “I didn’t know if I would have things thrown at me.”
Sheeran confirmed he will likely be persevering with “The Loop” tour despite all of his opening acts — including his backing band — dropping out since Macklemore acquired the boot.
“Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely central to who I am. And that is why I’m here tonight, on my own,” he said, receiving a roaring applause.
Sheeran’s troubles started last week when his assist act, Macklemore, went on a rant at Metlife Stadium. Lone Pine Press for NY Post
Sheeran performs at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Lone Pine Press for NY Post
“I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approved content of performance,” the singer said, including “this happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”
Sheeran said without live shows bringing people together, “the world is heading to a very, very, very dark place.”
“If we get too divided…we need to come back to humanity, realize that we are all the same, and we understand each other,” Sheeran said.
“I’ve had a week of learning,” he said smiling.
After ending his opening discuss, he acquired applause from the gang, which appeared to not fill the soccer stadium. He then broke into his music “Castle on the Hill.”
Sheeran’s opening acts and backing band stop after Macklemore was eliminated from the tour. Lone Pine Press for NY Post
Sheeran introduced out a new group of musicians to fill in for his backing band, which stop over Macklemore, including violinist Alicia Enstrom who performed “Galway Girl” alongside the singer.
“When my friends dropped out of this show, I was thinking, ‘how am I going to keep the show the same? And how am I going to get musicians to stand on stage with me in a week where no one wants to stand on stage?’”
He said the musicians had three days to study the setlist and praised their bravery for standing alongside him during the barrage of hateful criticism he’s acquired just lately.
“And I just want to say, before they come on stage, they said yes to being on stage with the knowledge that the world thought I was a certain type of person,” Sheeran said.
Pro-Palestinian protesters collect on the nook of Broad Street and Pattinson Avenue to protest Ed Sheeran’s efficiency at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Lone Pine press for NYPost
“They said yes with the knowledge that the world may hate them too for standing on stage with me.”
Toward the end he started crying again and sat down at the sting of the stage telling the gang that after the turmoil of the past week, “in these situations, you really find out who your friends are.”
He then added: “I have so many people telling me to cancel this tour and so many people falling out of my life that I’ve known for years and years and years, people just kind of backing away… And then, you know, I’m there, and everyone’s telling me to cancel, and I’m feeling my friends and family, and people I know abandoned me.”
But he said one thought keep him going: “If this tour ends, love doesn’t win.”
He even said sorry for his speech at the start.
“The one thing that I would like to apologize for is the first bit of the show where it wasn’t about music, and I had to talk,” he said.
“I understand that people have children… but that was something I felt like I needed to say… So all the parents that brought their kids tonight, thank you so much for bringing them, and I do apologize for the first part of the show.”
Some followers at the show praised the feedback, which got here after a week of turmoil, which noticed all of Sheeran’s opening acts stop when he dropped Macklemore from the show after stress from venue operators who objected to him saying “Free Palestine” during earlier appearances in the tour.
“He was put in a tough spot. I am proud of him for finally speaking his mind. We are all human and I think it would have hurt more overall if he ignored all together,” attendee Bryan Prevette told The Post.
“He ripped the bandaid off,” Prevette, who lives in Maryland said of Sheeran’s assertion.
“Was there any other [way] to do it? He had to address the elephant in the room,” he said.
David, a concertgoer from Salt Lake City agreed and thought Sheeran “did great.”
The crowd during Sheeran’s show at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Lone Pine Press for NY Post
“It’s [a] touchy subject. I thought what he said was unifying,” he told The Post.
Macklemore was let go from the tour after New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft barred the rapper from performing at Gillette Stadium over his feedback. He was also barred from a collection of other stadiums around the nation.
Jewish singer Pink spoke out against the “Thrift Shop” rapper, and slammed him for a 2014 incident in which he performed a live performance dressed as an antisemitic caricature of a Jewish particular person.
We present you with the trending topics. Get the best latest Entertainment news and content on our web site daily.
