Singer wore a “” shirt during his concert at Gillette Stadium on Friday, weeks after rapper Macklemore was barred from performing at the Massachusetts venue following pro-comments.
Bryan was performing the first of two concerts at Gillette Stadium. His second show is scheduled for Saturday night.
The shirt worn by Bryan featured the words “Free Palestine” and “An appeal to heaven”, along with a pine tree logo. Some members of his band also wore shirts carrying similar messages, CBS reported.
According to a 2024 Associated Press article, “An appeal to heaven” is a phrase dating back to the Revolutionary War. It was also featured on the official maritime flag of Massachusetts until 1971. The phrase originated from the belief that God would deliver the colonists from tyranny.
Bryan’s appearance comes weeks after Macklemore was dropped from musician Ed Sheeran’s “Loop” tour after saying “Free Palestine” during a concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Macklemore had been scheduled to perform at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro alongside Sheeran. However, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who also owns the stadium, called Sheeran to tell him Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at the venue.
“Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line,” Kraft wrote in a statement after Macklemore’s remarks.
Macklemore responded in an Instagram post, saying that “Antisemitism is real,” but argued that criticism of Israel and saying “Free Palestine” should not be conflated with hatred of Jewish people.
Every other supporting act scheduled for Sheeran’s tour subsequently dropped out in solidarity with Macklemore.
Since then, Macklemore has pledged to donate $1 million to support Palestinians. He also called on Kraft to match his donation.
Kraft later issued a statement saying he had already spoken to Sheeran about matching the pop star’s own $2 million donation pledge.
Sheeran’s concerts at Gillette Stadium had been scheduled for September 25 and 26. However, both shows were cancelled after a nor’easter hit the area that weekend.
