Charlotte Church has criticised Ed Sheeran over the removal of rapper Macklemore from Sheeran’s US tour, arguing that the singer should use his public platform to speak about the war in Gaza.
Church, who has publicly supported Palestinian causes, made the comments during a concert in Cardiff on Sunday. She urged the audience to chant “free Palestine” and said Sheeran had chosen commercial interests over what she described as doing the right thing.
The comments follow a dispute that has affected Sheeran’s Loop tour. Macklemore was removed from the US leg after making pro-Palestinian remarks during performances. Multiple venues had objected to his participation, according to reports, and the tour promoter ultimately confirmed that he would no longer appear.
Sheeran addressed the controversy at a concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. He described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and unjustifiable” and apologised to fans, saying he had faced difficult decisions and had made mistakes.
Sheeran has also said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour promoter rather than by him. He said venue and promoter decisions were final after he had tried to mediate between the parties.
Several other support acts subsequently left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. The dispute has also prompted demonstrations and criticism of Sheeran’s decision to continue the tour.
Church has previously taken part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and opposed the UK government’s proscription of Palestine Action. Her latest comments add to the public debate over whether musicians should remain separate from political issues or use their platforms to address them.
Sheeran is scheduled to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts on Friday 25 September.
Source: The Guardian
By Australia By Aussie
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