U2 on the Ed Sheeran Macklemore row: “No billionaire, no promoter, no owner has the right to censor anybody”

U2 have backed Macklemore’s right to express political views after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s US tour, while The Edge said Sheeran should not be vilified for the decision. Larry Mullen Jr. said artists should be free to speak their minds, provided they do not incite violence, and argued that venue owners and promoters have no right to censor them.

The dispute began after Macklemore called for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to be protected and performed “Hind’s Hall” at two New Jersey concerts in September. Following objections from the Israeli-American Council and billionaire venue owner Robert Kraft, promoters dropped him from the tour; Sheeran’s backing band and other support acts then withdrew in solidarity. Sheeran said he wanted his concerts to be places of safety rather than political forums, while Macklemore has since held sold-out benefit shows in Dublin, Paris and London.