Gaza artists paint Macklemore mural after rapper is removed from Ed Sheeran tour

Gaza City, Palestine. Artists have painted a mural of US rapper Macklemore wrapped in a Palestinian flag on a large concrete slab amid the ruins of Gaza City, following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s upcoming tour over remarks calling for a “Free Palestine”.

Mural amid Gaza ruins

The artwork stands on a slab leaning against ruined buildings and surrounded by rubble. It depicts the “Thrift Shop” rapper raising a fist, alongside the words: “Thank you for using your voice for Palestine.”

Anne Redwan, 26, designed and painted the mural with fellow artist Qusai al-Helo.

“We wanted to send a message to thank rapper Macklemore in this simple way,” Redwan told Reuters.

“As an artist living under siege here in Gaza, we are waiting for support from anyone who can see (the) persecution we live under,” she said. “We can paint murals bigger than this to express our feelings.”

Tour removal and allegations

Macklemore, who has long supported Palestinian causes, was removed from British pop star Sheeran’s tour lineup after remarks made on stage criticising Israel’s military assault in Gaza.

The assault was launched after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October 2023.

Sheeran said he could not keep Macklemore on the tour after stadium owners refused to allow him to appear. US billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where the New England Patriots play, said he had barred Macklemore from appearing there over antisemitism allegations, which the rapper denies.

Gaza reconstruction and aid pledges

Nearly a year after a ceasefire ended major fighting in Gaza, reconstruction has not begun. Most buildings have been destroyed, while more than two million residents are confined to around a third of the enclave, largely in tents or crowded rooms in damaged buildings.

A US-brokered plan to end the war has stalled, with negotiators yet to agree on conditions for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its troops.

The controversy surrounding Sheeran’s tour has prompted a series of pledges to provide financial support. Macklemore said on Wednesday that he would donate his $1 million in net earnings from the tour to six aid groups supporting Gaza.