Afrasianet - American rapper Macklemore on Monday kicked off his "Freedom for Palestine" charity tour with a concert in the Irish capital Dublin, featuring singer Hoosier and the rap band Nee Cap, along with a group of artists and activists in solidarity with occupied Palestine, vowing to continue expressing his rejection of Israel's bloody war on the Gaza Strip, despite the pressure he has been subjected to due to his pro-Palestinian positions.
The ceremony, which was held in the 3 Arena hall and sold out of 13,000 tickets within minutes, witnessed a remarkable presence of supporters of the Palestinian cause who raised Palestinian flags, wore keffiyehs and T-shirts in the colors of the Palestinian flag, and chanted "Free Palestine" throughout the evening.
McLemore, a Grammy Award winner, waving the Palestinian flag during the ceremony, said: "I am proud to stand here in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We will continue to fight for collective liberation until our last breath."
"Six weeks ago, it only took two words," he said, referring to the "free Palestine" slogan he chanted during a concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, in which he criticized the Israeli government's crimes in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
These two words have become a source of threat to some people, he said, to the point that they prefer to silence those who chant them rather than confront their meanings, noting that the slogan has become remarkably more controversial than the suffering that made it necessary to repeat it.
The ceremony included the Irish band "Bioga", Palestinian singer Lina Makhoul, member of the band "Dead Breeze" M1, and Palestinian-American DJ Habibitz. Also speaking at the event were actor Liam Cunningham, known for his role in the series "Game of Thrones", activist and psychotherapist Nadia Greenspan, and artist and activist Samir Eskanda. Actor Mark Ruffalo, Julian Casablancas, singer of the band "The Strokes", actresses Cynthia Nixon and Ilana Glazer, and actress Natasha Rothwell participated remotely.
The tour came after Macklemore was excluded from the North American section of British pop star Ed Sheeran's "Loop" tour last September, following his pro-Palestinian stance during a concert at MetLife Stadium, where he addressed the crowd stressing that Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are not forgotten.
Macklemore later said that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had pressured him to be excluded from the tour. Craft confirmed that he had banned the rapper from concerts at Gillette Stadium, citing his remarks and what he described as a broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery. Sheeran said the decision to exclude was made by the tour's promoter, not himself, but called the situation in Gaza "unjustifiable and disproportionate."
The decision sparked widespread reactions in the artistic community, as a number of artists participating in the opening of Sheeran's concerts withdrew in protest against Macklemore's exclusion, including the band "Beoga", which had been participating in the tour's concerts on a daily basis before joining the Dublin concert, along with other artists who declared their solidarity with the Palestinians.
Macklemore announced the series of concerts in September, confirming that the proceeds would be allocated to organizations that provide aid to Palestinians, including humanitarian relief, medical care, education, and the defense of Palestinian rights. According to the organizers, donors include ANERA, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Jewish Voice for Peace and UNRWA in the United States. Macklemore also pledged to donate $1 million of the tour's net profits to Palestinian relief groups.
Michael Keating, one of the attendees at the Dublin concert, said Macklemore's support for Palestine was immense, noting that he had taken a clear stance rather than opting for the easier route, while Freya Doretti, 18, said her appreciation for the artist had increased since he began speaking out about Palestine.
The Dublin concert was preceded by Macklemore's first appearance since leaving the Sheeran tour, as he performed on October 22 at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado, during which he performed 17 songs, renewed his call for "freedom for Palestine", spoke about the suffering of people in Sudan, Congo, Lebanon and Haiti, and about those affected by the activities of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The tour is scheduled to move to the Accor Arena in Paris on Thursday (October 29th), before concluding at London's OV Arena Wembley on Friday (October 30th), with tickets for all three concerts sold out.
