Macklemore Faces Venue Rejections for ‘Free Palestine’ Tour

Macklemore has stated that several major venues, including Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum, have refused to host his “Free Palestine” tour. On Friday, Macklemore, whose legal name is Ben Haggerty, released a statement on Instagram expressing the difficulties in bringing his tour to the United States. He claimed that nine notable venues have declined his shows.

The venues Macklemore listed include Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center, and Climate Pledge Arena. According to him, their refusal came once they discovered the shows focused on benefiting Palestine.

In a statement shared on social media, Macklemore addressed the current situation of his Free Palestine tour. “In over twenty years of touring, I’ve never faced anything like this,” he stated. He further explained that artists supporting Palestine have encountered similar challenges for decades.

Macklemore recounted his past three years, saying, “The real regret I have is not speaking publicly when Zionists were undermining me.” He accused U.S. venues of denying access for his tour and mentioned experiencing manipulation and suppression. “They aim to keep entertainers quiet with intimidation,” he noted.

He expressed his disinterest in maintaining relationships with anyone not supporting a Free Palestine. “I’d rather lose every entertainment opportunity than stay silent,” Macklemore declared. He critiqued venue owners by asserting that the phrase ‘Free Palestine’ threatens their power structures.

Macklemore urged fellow artists to voice their opinions, citing three sold-out shows in Europe as evidence of widespread support for Palestinian liberation. He described these events as spaces filled with love, despite attempts to portray the movement negatively.

He referenced recent political events, mentioning Abdul El-Sayed’s Senate victory in Michigan, supported by a platform advocating to end the Gaza genocide. “AIPAC invested $42 million to defeat El-Sayed, yet failed,” Macklemore said.

Macklemore stressed that billionaires rely on public silence, but they forget the public’s role in their success. “The people want a Free Palestine,” he continued. He emphasized that his silence won’t be bought by the threat of never performing in American arenas again.

In closing, Macklemore revealed plans to continue hosting shows supporting Palestine, possibly staging them outdoors. The controversy began when his pro-Palestinian remarks at an Ed Sheeran concert led to his dismissal as an opening act.