Photo Credit: Colin Hancock
In the wake of Macklemore’s controversial removal from Ed Sheeran’s US tours for pro-Palestine statements, singer-songwriter Zach Bryan took to the stage at one of the very venues that barred the rapper with subtle expression of solidarity. Last night on Friday, October 2nd, Bryan performed at Gillette Stadium as part of a two-date stop during his latest tour series. During the concert, Bryan and his bandmembers took the stage wearing black t-shirts bearing the words “Free Palestine,” as NME reports.
Country singer Zach Bryan wore a “Free Palestine” shirt at his Gillette Stadium show in Massachusetts. pic.twitter.com/1sFUj1IF4c
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) October 3, 2026
The decision is especially notable as Gillette Stadium is owned by the Kraft Group, headed by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Kraft was a central figure in the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal after the rapper spoke on stage expressing solidarity with Palestinians and performed his protest track “Hind’s Hall” while displaying images from Gaza while supporting Sheeran’s show in New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium. Amongst many other critics, Kraft spoke out and called Macklemore’s performance “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community,” confirming that he would be banned from Gillette Stadium – where he was set to open for Sheeran on September 25th and 26th. Though the performances at the Massachusetts venue were ultimately canceled due to severe weather from a nor’easter, the controversy surrounding it lead to the departure of Sheeran’s remaining supporting acts.
Bryan is the latest of many in the music world to throw his hat into the ring on this issue, and while he is not the latest to express solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinian movement, his methods of expressing it and doing so right in front of one of the biggest critics of the issue makes his message stand out even stronger.
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