AOC Says Robert Kraft Rallied Stadium Owners To Silence Macklemore After 'Free Palestine' Remarks

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly accused New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft of coordinating stadium owners to block rapper Macklemore from performing after the artist expressed support for Palestinians during Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour.

In a clip shared by Fox News, Ocasio-Cortez said the incident reveals a broader problem. "It's not just what has happened with the act and not just in removing Macklemore from the lineup, but when you see what Robert Kraft did to line up all of the stadiums to censor speech in that one specific way, it's become clear that this is not just about one music artist or two music artists," she said. "This is about how just a handful of stadium owners and the elite can prevent an entire massive issue, in this case, the genocide in Gaza."

Asked in a separate clip posted by TMZ whether Ed Sheeran bore responsibility, Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged that many parties play a role but urged focus on Kraft and "the actual people who are who are kind of twisting things here." She added that the incident sets a dangerous precedent for limiting political expression at large venues.

What Happened

Macklemore joined Sheeran's Loop Tour in early September as an opening act for two shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During the first performance he shouted "Free Palestine," expressed solidarity with people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, displayed images of devastation on the stadium screens, and performed a protest song that referenced pro-Palestine demonstrators at Columbia University.

The onstage statements prompted swift backlash from pro-Israel groups; the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore's removal from the tour.

Allegations and Responses

On Monday, Macklemore said he was removed after Ed Sheeran was allegedly pressured by Kraft ahead of a planned appearance at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, a Kraft Group property. Macklemore wrote that Sheeran told him Kraft warned the singer he would be barred from Kraft-owned venues if Macklemore remained on the tour.

"Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium," Macklemore wrote, also alleging that Kraft had "rallied some of the other stadium owners" to deliver an ultimatum.

Robert Kraft confirmed he barred Macklemore from performing at Gillette, saying the decision was driven by "material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery." Kraft's statement did not directly address Macklemore's claim that he had coordinated a wider campaign among other stadium operators.

Aftermath

Following the announcement that Macklemore would no longer appear on the tour, all of Sheeran's opening acts withdrew in solidarity, including Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe. Lukas Graham wrote on Instagram: "It's hard to watch families in other parts of the world burying the people they love. We should be able to speak about war, about civilians being killed, about children who deserve to grow up. Wherever they live. Whatever flag flies over them."

The episode has intensified debate about artistic expression, venue and promoter control, corporate influence in live entertainment, and how allegations of antisemitism should be weighed against free-speech claims during a volatile international conflict.