Macklemore's upcoming "Free Palestine" tour, scheduled to take place in Dublin, Paris, and London later this month, will benefit an organization that has been criticized for its comments on the October 7 Hamas attack. The tour is a response to Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran's "Loop Tour" after he repeatedly called for a "Free Palestine" and performed his anti-Israel song "Hind's Hall" last month.
According to the tour's website, all proceeds will go to one of twelve organizations, including the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM). The PYM's UK chapter has been accused of defending Hamas' actions during the October 7 attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and 251 civilians being taken hostage. The organization reportedly referred to these actions as "legitimate" and "effective."
A female speaker from the Palestinian Youth Movement was heard cheering the Hamas attacks and terrorists during a protest outside the Israeli consulate in New York just days after the original attack. In her statement, she praised the "glorious victory of the resistance" and honored the "martyrs" of the conflict.
The Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), a UK-based Jewish organization, has called for better efforts to vet Macklemore's charitable organizations and protect Jewish citizens. The JLC expressed concern that the PYM's inclusion as a beneficiary of Macklemore's concert raises serious questions about Live Nation's vetting process.
The Israeli-American Council, which demanded Macklemore be removed from Sheeran's tour last month, has stated that his recent actions "reinforce the concerns" that led to their petition. The group emphasized that their objection was not to Macklemore's right to support Palestinians, but to the normalization of antisemitic rhetoric that disregards the suffering and humanity of Jews and Israelis.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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