Anne Redwan paints a mural thanking Macklemore "for using your voice for Palestine"
Anne RedwanArtist in Gaza City, quoted by Reuters
Anne Redwan, a 26-year-old artist in Gaza City, designed and painted a mural with fellow artist Qusai al-Helo depicting Macklemore wrapped in a Palestinian flag, captioned "Thank you for using your voice for Palestine." She told Reuters the mural was meant to thank him and that she and other Gaza artists are waiting for support from anyone who recognizes what she described as the persecution they live under.
“We wanted to send a message to thank rapper Macklemore in this simple way. As an artist living under siege here in Gaza, we are waiting for support from anyone who can see the persecution we live under. We can paint murals bigger than this to express our feelings.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” speech and removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour
At two Ed Sheeran concerts at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore called for a free Palestine, accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, and said criticism of Israel was not criticism of Jewish people. After venue objections, tour promoter Messina Touring Group said he would not perform the remaining U.S. Loop Tour dates. Critics characterized the performance as hostile or inappropriate; Macklemore defended it as a call for equal treatment.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Reuters wire report, September 18, 2026, on a mural painted in Gaza City honoring Macklemore after his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour. It also quotes Hussein Murtaja, who runs a Gaza mental-health organization for children, saying Macklemore's solidarity "matters more than the money he donated," and Toby Fricker, a UNICEF official, on the need for sustained rather than one-off support. CBS News carried the same reporting as a video segment on X; this record cites the fuller wire text via the Jerusalem Post republication, credited to Reuters and photographer Dawoud Abu Alkas.
Before the quotation
The mural was painted on a slab of concrete leaning against ruined buildings in Gaza City, more than two weeks after Macklemore's removal from Ed Sheeran's tour and the same week he pledged $1 million of his tour earnings to Palestinian relief groups.
After the quotation
Reuters also quoted Hussein Murtaja, who runs a Gaza mental-health organization for children, saying Macklemore's solidarity mattered more than the donation itself; that statement is recorded separately.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Redwan's mural and quotation directly praise Macklemore for speaking out, which endorses the conduct under scrutiny. There is no competing label to weigh against here; the statement is unambiguous thanks and endorsement, with no qualification or condition attached.
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The Dispute Index. "Anne Redwan paints a mural thanking Macklemore "for using your voice for Palestine"". First published: 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1020-anne-redwan-a-26-year-old-artist-in