Pink Responds to Backlash Over Post Criticizing Macklemore’s ‘Free Palestine’ Set

Pop star Pink is under fire online for resharing an anti-Israel message and then following it up with a series of Instagram posts directed at her detractors.

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, supported British musician Ed Sheeran on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in a show called Loop Tour on September 4 and 5. Donning a keffiyeh in front of an 80,000-strong audience, the rapper shouted “Free Palestine” and addressed Gaza and the occupied West Bank, saying that they are not being forgotten.

“Every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom,” he added, as reported by Variety.

The rapper then performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall,” which featured flashes of Gaza on the stadium screens. Macklemore referenced Hind Rajab, a young Palestinian girl killed in Gaza, named after student demonstrators at Columbia University who renamed a campus building in her honor. The rapper then addressed Jewish concertgoers, saying that criticizing Israel and condemning their actions as genocide is not a condemnation of Jewish people and that his message is a message of peace and dignity for everyone.

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American pop diva, whose legal name is Alecia Beth Moore Hart, posted a video with the message “Awful” to her Instagram Story, claiming that Jewish fans who came to see Sheeran’s performance are exposed to propaganda against Israel. According to Pink, Macklemore’s speech and video presentation amount to a false accusation of genocide, and people who came to the concert are entitled to “apologies and refunds.”

The reaction was instant, as fans accused Pink of prejudice across Reddit, X, and Instagram. Some suggested boycotting her work, while others noted that Pink cannot blame an opening act for sharing her opinion politically. Defenders of Pink claimed ticket buyers expected to enjoy the performance, not listen to political speeches.

It seems Pink tried to address the situation by posting several pieces of artwork in the form of memes on her Instagram without mentioning Macklemore. One of the posts featured an illustration by Phaedra Peer featuring a black cat sitting with a glass of wine saying “IF THEY WANT TO PAINT YOU AS THE VILLAIN THEN POSE.” Other pictures encouraged her fans not to let critics ruin their day with the slogan “Being loved by all makes you a clown.” Pink, a proud Jew herself, has been active in speaking against antisemitism and raising her children as Jews, but has not issued a statement yet.