US rapper Macklemore has been a vocal advocate for peace, social justice and the rights of the Palestinian people from the very start of Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza. He has bravely used his platform to call out the egregious breaches of international law and war crimes perpetrated by the Israeli government, including the brutal murder of five-year-old Hind Rajab.

Following pressure from Israel lobbyist groups, he has now been dropped as the opening act for Ed Sheeran's ongoing US stadium tour.

We believe that this is a significant escalation in the ongoing censorship of artists speaking out against genocide, as well as being a dangerous conflation of criticism of the State of Israel and the poison of antisemitism.  It is a deeply shameful failing of promoters and venues to bow to the demands of politically-motivated lobby groups who have sought to suppress the voices of artists, fans and public figures who have called for an end to the slaughter of the more than 70,000 men, women and children in Gaza and illegal settler violence in the occupied West Bank.

We stand with Macklemore, applaud his consistent solidarity with the Palestinian people, and call for an end to the outrageous censorship and artistic suppression faced by him and other artists brave enough to use their platforms to call for an end to the genocide in Gaza.