Wicked” Star Marissa Bode Calls Out Ed Sheeran for Failing to Defend Macklemore After the Rapper Was Dropped From the Loop Tour Over “Free Palestine” Remarks: “My Legs May Not Work Like They Used To Before, but at Least I Have a F***ing Spine”

Marissa Bode, who is confined to a wheelchair, harshly criticized Ed Sheeran for not coming to the defense of Macklemore after the latter was fired from the Loop Tour organized by Sheeran following onstage “Free Palestine” remarks and the song “Hind’s Hall”.

“Ed Sheeran, my legs may not work like they used to before, but at least I have a f*ing spine. Free Palestine, b**!” Bode said in the video.

@marissa_edob

Yesterday, today and tomorrow 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸!!!

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Marissa Bode is 26 and has been best known for playing Nessarose in the “Wicked” films. She was paralyzed below the waist due to a car accident a year before she was taken to the show of “Wicked” in Madison, Wisconsin, by her mother at the age of 12, becoming the first person with a wheelchair cast in the part.

Macklemore performed “Hind’s Hall” during the show, where he was a guest artist on Sheeran’s tour at the beginning of this month, and told the audience, “Free Palestine.” His firing came after outrage from pro-Israel organizations and venue owners, including pressure from Robert Kraft.

In the statement posted Monday on Instagram, the rapper said that Kraft personally called Sheeran to warn that Macklemore is no longer welcome at Gillette Stadium, a venue in Foxborough, Massachusetts, owned by Robert Kraft’s company. Macklemore added that Robert Kraft convinced other stadium owners to issue Sheeran an ultimatum. Sheeran was referred to as his friend, and their difficult talks over the last week ended in “fundamental disagreement”.

Messina Touring Group, the promoter of the tour in the USA, told Rolling Stone that they were told the concerts involving Macklemore on the program could no longer take place due to threats from venues, meaning hundreds of thousands of fans would have been disappointed.

Robert Kraft said in a statement on Monday that the decision had been taken due to recent controversial statements by Macklemore and his “antisemitic rhetoric and imagery deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.

Sheeran, whose policy is not to interfere in politics, spoke on the controversy in his statement on Instagram on Tuesday. The artist said the promoters made the decision and that he will never be pulled into an argument about the war in Gaza. “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine”, said Sheeran. He said he will never disappoint fans who bought tickets and rely on him for their entertainment.

The storm widened the same day. Four additional artists announced they were leaving the tour: Irish artists Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish group Lukas Graham, and Finneas. Lukas Graham thanked Sheeran; however, he said people should not be denied the right to express their thoughts because they are rich.