Alan Kelly accuses Sheeran of throwing Macklemore "under the bus"
Alan KellyTD, Labour Party (Ireland)
Alan Kelly accused Sheeran of prioritizing commercial interests over his friendship with Macklemore.
“thrown his friend under the bus in favor of commerciality”
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
Newsweek report on Irish political and cultural figures publicly distancing themselves from Ed Sheeran over Macklemore's removal from his tour.
Before the quotation
Said in comments reported by Newsweek on the Macklemore-Sheeran tour fallout.
After the quotation
Kelly was one of several Irish politicians who publicly criticized Sheeran over the episode.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On Macklemore's conduct in giving the speech, Kelly does not criticize Macklemore at all. By accusing Sheeran of throwing Macklemore "under the bus" for commercial reasons, Kelly implicitly defends Macklemore's conduct as not warranting the response it received.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Ed Sheeran
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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- Alan Kelly accuses Sheeran of throwing Macklemore "under the bus"
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The Dispute Index. "Alan Kelly accuses Sheeran of throwing Macklemore "under the bus"". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/958-alan-kelly-accused-sheeran-of-prioritizing-commercial-interests