Damon Albarn, the frontman of the British virtual band Gorillaz, appeared to make a statement about the decision to remove rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's tour during a show in Florida on Thursday.
While performing, Albarn held up a Palestinian flag and draped it over his shoulder, addressing the audience and saying "Don't forget this. Ever. Stand your position. Don't ever be neutral."
This move comes after Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's tour due to his call for a "Free Palestine" during one of his shows. Several progressive figures have rallied behind Macklemore and criticized Sheeran, although Sheeran's representatives have stated that he was not involved in the decision to remove Macklemore.
Gorillaz has a history of using their platform to promote anti-Israel causes, including a performance at the Together for Palestine concert in 2025 for Palestinian organizations. During the Glastonbury Festival in 2024, Albarn asked the audience whether they supported Palestine, and several other performers have also used their stage time to express similar views.
Sheeran addressed the controversy during his show on Saturday night, stating that he had tried to "build a bridge" over the issue before venues said no, and expressing his own feelings about the situation in Israel and Palestine.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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