How the internet reacted to musicians leaving Ed Sheeran’s tour

Last night (Wednesday) a number of acts, large and small, quit Ed Sheeran's Loop tour.

Macklemore made announcement that he had been dropped as a support act for his "friend" Ed Sheeran on Monday night.

The news came after Macklemore made several onstage statements in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and called for a “free Palestine.

Sheeran claimed he had been put under pressure by Robert Kraft — the multi-billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium.

In the aftermath, Dublin singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe immediately quit the tour, Finneas followed suit and Irish traditional band Beoga said they would not continue while artists were punished for speaking out on genocide.

The news has gone global, with the internet massively impressed with the Irish musicians principalled stance.

Many pointed out that choosing Irish people and not "choosing sides" on a genocide might have been a bad idea.

does Ed Sheeran know the Irish don’t play about Palestine? why tf would he say allat????

— 𝒸𝓁✰𝓋𝒾𝓇𝑔𝑜☽𝐒𝐭✰𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥☾ (@rxynebow) September 16, 2026

Ed Sheeran: "I'm gonna side with oppressive colonizers. Literally everyone I'm touring with is Irish. Can't see any way this will go wrong."

— Anthony Doyle🍉 (@Anthonysmdoyle) September 15, 2026

The Macklemore/Ed Sheeran thing is just a reminder that some people hate the courageous but almost everyone hates the cowardly.

— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) September 14, 2026

lmao that ed sheeran played himself into this corner bc he apparently didn't realize he was touring w the irish palestinian solidarity movement

— smoker of cryptic weed (@WASJAPPIN) September 15, 2026

Others suggested new support acts.

Ed Sheeran announces Benjamin Netanyahu as the new opener for his tour. pic.twitter.com/FUWmPHzsNC

— Daily Noud (@DailyNoud) September 15, 2026

Hey @BoyGeorge,

Pls text Ed Sheeran. He has a vacancy.

Kind regards

Ireland

xx #JobFairy

— Tony - Pod Guy - Groves (@Trickstersworld) September 15, 2026

Pink, Netenyahu and Gal Gadot at the Ed Sheeran Tour pic.twitter.com/83GY63o1Nc

— Kuba Swift (@kubaswift) September 15, 2026

Vittortio saw the funny side at least.

Ed Sheeran’s bank account has a right to defend itself

— Vittorio (@vittorioangelon) September 15, 2026

So did this guy.

Ed Sheeran be like I’m in love with the shape of Netanyahu

— Keara Sullivan (@superkeara) September 15, 2026

Other people have been vindicated.

I banned Ed Sheeran from my old workplace like 5 years ago. Feeling extremely vindicated. pic.twitter.com/xvWuq3eJ2Y

— not emma (@buttholefactory) September 15, 2026

Fin.

“Ed Sheeran concert?” you mean going to the grocery store?

— Brett (@BrettRedacted) September 15, 2026

According to the United Nations, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza this year despite what has been labelled a "ceasefire".

It brings the total number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since the 10 October ceasefire to more than 1,300, including 301 children.

The real number of deaths in Gaza is currently unknown. As of June 2026, more than 72,945 Palestinians have been directly killed by Israel's invasion of Gaza. The early months after the October 7th Hamas attack on Nova music festival, saw the largest number of fatalities, with over 30,000 deaths recorded within the first five months, and an average of approximately 1,600 deaths per month thereafter until 2026. 55,000 deaths are equal to approximately two percent of Gaza's prewar population.

Gaza has the highest number of child amputees in the world.