Waters calls Sheeran a "little prick" over Macklemore removal
Roger WatersMusician; co-founder of Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters posted an Instagram video calling Macklemore someone who "does the right thing" and calling Ed Sheeran a "little prick" for his handling of the removal.
“There's two kinds of people in this world: There's people who do the right thing, that rapper Macklemore would be one of those people. And there's people, many of them sadly little ... pricks like you, who do the wrong thing. Goodbye.”
Original text
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.
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Original text
About this source
HuffPost report on Roger Waters' Instagram video attacking Ed Sheeran over the Macklemore tour removal. Waters himself was previously criticized in 2023 for using antisemitic imagery in a stage show, which he defended as commentary on fascism.
Before the quotation
Posting an Instagram video Tuesday, September 15, 2026, addressed directly to Sheeran.
After the quotation
No further public follow-up had been reported as of this writing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Waters explicitly praises Macklemore as someone who 'does the right thing' and condemns Sheeran, defending Macklemore's conduct in the underlying dispute.
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- People and groups discussed
- Ed Sheeran, Macklemore
More from this case
Read the full caseMacklemore says the "billionaire class" should not decide "which voices are allowed on stage"
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention. So we're going on tour. All proceeds will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.”Read statement
Jewish Voice for Peace says the backlash to Macklemore's removal shows support for pro-Palestine speech
Jewish Voice for Peace
“Two years into Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine organizing, the backlash against Sheeran shows how little patience Americans have for attacks on pro-Palestine speech. It also demonstrates the shift toward support for Palestinian rights among everyday Americans that our movements have helped propel.”Read statement
Macklemore announces "Free Palestine Tour" after removal from U.S. dates
“To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Waters calls Sheeran a "little prick" over Macklemore removal". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/805-pink-floyd-co-founder-roger-waters-posted-an