Macklemore Faces Calls To Be Banned From Performing in Britain Ahead of Upcoming Free Palestine Tour

Macklemore faces calls to be barred from Britain after 50 UK peers urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to revoke his electronic travel authorisation ahead of his Free Palestine Tour concert at London's OVO Arena, Wembley, on Friday, 30 October.

The rapper announced the tour after his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour, a decision that followed pro-Palestinian comments he delivered on stage. He pledged to donate money from ticket sales to organisations supporting Palestine. The peers' objection centres on the prospect of some concert proceeds reaching the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Macklemore Entry Request Centres on Concert Proceeds

Baron Walney, who formerly advised the government on political violence, wrote the letter seeking the withdrawal of Macklemore's entry permission. The artist's real name is Benjamin Haggerty.

The letter describes his show as 'not conducive to the public good' and requests the revocation of his ETA. This is the digital permission most American visitors need to enter Britain.

The peers accuse the Palestinian Youth Movement of glorifying terrorism. Their request is based on the expectation that part of the money raised at the London concert will go to the group, rather than a confirmed payment from that performance.

The Telegraph reported that the letter states, 'A foreign national proposes to come to Britain to raise money, from a British audience, for an organization whose record of glorifying terrorism and of intimidating elected representatives should concern any government.'

Those accusations are the signatories' claims. The supplied account does not establish them independently or include a response from the Palestinian Youth Movement.

Macklemore Letter Argues for a Targeted Refusal

The Palestinian Youth Movement has also faced criticism over an X post following the 7 October attacks in Israel. The post read, 'When people are occupied, resistance is justified.'

The signatories recognise that refusing Macklemore entry would be a substantial step, but argue that it would be proportionate and narrowly targeted.

Their letter contends that such a refusal would neither prevent people in Britain from supporting the humanitarian organisations on Haggerty's list nor restrict access to his music. Its argument concerns his ability to enter the country to raise funds from a British audience.

'It would simply decline to grant a foreign national the privilege of raising funds on British soil for an organization of this kind,' the letter read.

The supplied material contains a request for entry permission to be revoked, with no Home Office decision or response included.

Macklemore Opens the Free Palestine Tour

The tour opened on Thursday night at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, where Macklemore called for a free Palestine. His remarks also addressed Sudan, Congo, Lebanon, Haiti and people affected by immigration enforcement in the United States.

'Being a human being in this moment is not complicated,' he stated. 'It is not political. It is human to have a heart, to watch others suffering and to say, Not anymore! So I say, free Palestine. I say, free Palestine!'

He extended that appeal to people who, he stated, were afraid to leave their homes because of ICE in America.

'I say, free Sudan. I say, free Congo, Lebanon, to Haiti, to all the people that are affected by ICE in America, who are afraid to leave their houses.'