Ed Sheeran's tour in trouble after opening acts drop out in solidarity with rapper Macklemore

… <div class="RichTextStoryBody RichTextBody"> <p>NEW YORK (AP) — <span class="LinkEnhancement"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/hub/ed-sheeran">Ed Sheeran’s</a></span> tour of North and South America was plunged into chaos Tuesday when four of his supporting acts abruptly quit in solidarity with the rapper Macklemore, who was <span class="LinkEnhancement"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/article/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-9adb1ee76f15cecfe3c8964ee76de8fc">dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments</a></span> onstage.</p><p>Hours after Sheeran posted on social media about Macklemore’s ouster and attributed the decision to the tour’s promoters, Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, the <span class="LinkEnhancement"><a class="Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement" data-gtm-enhancement-style="LinkEnhancementA" href="https://apnews.com/music-177e772ae35d4766b865bcfbe7344f71">Danish band Lukas Graham,</a></span> and Finneas posted on Instagram that they were leaving the tour.</p><p>Rowe and Lukas Graham would have been replacements for Macklemore on Sheeran’s remaining U.S. dates, while Beoga had been performing several songs — including some the Irish folk band co-wrote — with Sheeran around the middle of each set. Finneas, who is Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator, was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year.</p><p>“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas said on Instagram. “I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”</p> …