All support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour quit after Macklemore dropped

All of the remaining support acts on Ed Sheeran's US tour have quit, after the rapper Macklemore was dropped from the line-up for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage.

Among them were Finneas, the brother of pop star Billie Eilish, who said in a statement: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed."

Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham also announced their departure. Irish folk band Beoga, who perform with Sheeran on stage every night, dropped out too.





The announcements came hours after Sheeran said he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza, and stressed he was not responsible for Macklemore being removed from the tour.



Earlier this month, Macklemore - real name Benjamin Haggerty - called for a "free Palestine" and showed images of devastation in Gaza during two concerts in New Jersey.



Writing on Instagram, Lukas Graham said: "We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them."



Rowe, who opened on the Australian leg of the tour earlier this year and resumed as a support act for the US in June, said that he did not "take the decision [to quit] lightly," adding: "Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this."



In their post, Beoga said: "As musicians, playing to those crowds every night is the stuff of dreams but to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for a Free Palestine is simply not an option for us."