Country music star Zach Bryan wore a Free Palestine shirt while performing on stage at Robert Kraft's Gillette Stadium, a move that risks the wrath of the stadium owner. The 30-year-old artist revealed his reasoning for the political statement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"I didn't put on a FREE PALESTINE shirt to please everybody. I wore it because some things are bigger than music, fame, and public approval," he wrote. "You're free to disagree with me, but I'm not going to pretend I don't care just to keep everyone comfortable."
Macklemore's Removal from Ed Sheeran's Tour
Weeks earlier, Macklemore was kicked off Ed Sheeran's LOOP Tour following his Free Palestine speech at Kraft's MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Kraft had banned the rapper from performing during Sheeran's forthcoming shows at his Gillette Stadium near Boston, accusing him of hate speech.
Sheeran confirmed that the decision to drop the rapper from his tour was made by his promoters, Messina Touring Group, not by him.
Bryan's Show of Support
Zach Bryan wore the Free Palestine shirt while performing on Friday night, his first of two nights at the stadium. Several of his band members also wore Palestine-branded clothing to share the message. Kraft has yet to comment on the political statement.
Fans quickly praised the artist for his support. One user on X said: "Yessss! That's how it's done, @edsheeran."
Fallout from Macklemore's Speech
Ed Sheeran's tour was thrown into chaos following Macklemore's Free Palestine speech, leading to the rapper's removal from the remaining dates. Other acts, including Finneas and Lukas Graham, quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. Sheeran's backing band, Beoga, also withdrew from performing.
Sheeran addressed the controversy while performing in Philadelphia on September 19. He confessed he knew he had made "mistakes" when it came to dealing with the drama.
Speaking at the show, he said: "This has put me in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet. [My music] has always been a safe space for everyone. That matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am. That is why I'm here tonight — on my own — continuing my own tour."
Macklemore has since announced his own "Free Palestine" tour. Sharing the news on Instagram, the Thrift Shop singer said: "If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it's that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now. It's 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn't work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it."
He went on: "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, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit."
