Macklemore has begun his Free Palestine tour in Dublin after Ed Sheeran's controversial decision to drop the rapper from his tour last month. The American star is playing to a crowd of up to 13,000 at the city's 3Arena - and, hours before the sell-crowd show, had promised "many incredible surprise guests". The artist - whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty - announced the tour days after being dropped from Sheeran's Loop Tour following pro-Palestinian comments he made onstage.
He was criticised by Jewish groups after saying "Free Palestine" at two concerts and making political speeches, including referring to the death toll from Israel's military action in Gaza as a genocide - a claim that Israel rejects. Sheeran later stressed that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by his promoter, not by himself. Macklemore has said that proceeds from his Free Palestine tour will go to organisations supporting Palestinians.
He will perform in Paris on Thursday and in London on Friday. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to an unprecedented Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. During Israel's military campaign in Gaza more than 70,000 people have been killed, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.
Israel says its troops conduct self-defence operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank in accordance with international law. Tickets for the Dublin show sold out and dozens of concertgoers were queueing at the venue hours before the its doors were opened. Some were dressed in Palestinian jerseys, had tied Palestinian and Irish flags to themselves, and many were wearing keffiyeh scarves, a symbol of Palestinian identity.
Vendors outside the arena sold Palestinian bucket hats and flags, as well as hats and flags with the logo of Irish rap trio Kneecap. Nicola McCollough travelled with her daughter Lily Rose Murphy from Belfast for Lily Rose's first ever concert. They both said they were happy Macklemore spoke out in support of Gaza.
"More people need to, if you have the platform, do it because not everybody has that kind of stage," said Nicola. "I would speak about anything if I'm supportive of it," said Lily Rose. Gillian Duffy also travelled from Cork with her son Joshua.
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