To feel sorry for Ed Sheeran.....

Those who claim ‘Free Palestine’ is completely baggage-free, how do they explain such levels of aggression towards a woman simply exercising her right to peaceful protest?

So is the problem the phrase or some of the people that use the phrase? I have asked numerous times what should people, who are protesting against the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, who are extremely concerned with the proposals for ethnic cleansing and worried for the people in Gaza who are now only occupying 40% of the territory and are really facing an existential threat, what form should protests take? what phrases should people use? The situation is extremely serious yet people are expected to do nothing, say nothing.

Apparently to question that appalling post which has been deleted from Whoisit is wrong in their eyes. No helping some. That post was appalling and glad to see many were shocked by the hatred expressed there. No need for it.

Was it brave of Macklemore to dress a caricature of a Jewish rabbi?
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/624/mcs/media/images/74969000/jpg/_74969268_ap_macklemore.jpg.webp

Those who claim ‘Free Palestine’ is completely baggage-free, how do they explain such levels of aggression towards a woman simply exercising her right to peaceful protest?

So is the problem the phrase or some of the people that use the phrase? I have asked numerous times what should people, who are protesting against the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, who are extremely concerned with the proposals for ethnic cleansing and worried for the people in Gaza who are now only occupying 40% of the territory and are really facing an existential threat, what form should protests take? what phrases should people use? The situation is extremely serious yet people are expected to do nothing, say nothing.

No one pro Palestinian is going to go see a dude that kept someone chained to a hook in his flat or someone that uses AI to write their 'songs' 😂 On the off chance that someone wandered in though and found the experience 'uncomfortable' I'd say do your research, what do you expect from such a rotten human being except him being rotten.

I've no problem with him playing anywhere he wants to play, I would just choose not to go see him and would advise other people to support proper creatives, not artifical intelligence.

Those who claim ‘Free Palestine’ is completely baggage-free, how do they explain such levels of aggression towards a woman simply exercising her right to peaceful protest?

So is the problem the phrase or some of the people that use the phrase? I have asked numerous times what should people, who are protesting against the current situation in Gaza and the West Bank, who are extremely concerned with the proposals for ethnic cleansing and worried for the people in Gaza who are now only occupying 40% of the territory and are really facing an existential threat, what form should protests take? what phrases should people use? The situation is extremely serious yet people are expected to do nothing, say nothing.

Out of interest, do you apply this equally to Boy George? He faced calls to be removed from performances after releasing We Will Dance Again, and ultimately withdrew from Jesus Christ Superstar after the controversy. There were also calls for his Vancouver concert to be cancelled, which the venue refused on freedom of expression grounds.
Would your position be exactly the same there – that Boy George should never be expected to moderate what he says or performs because an audience might find his views on Israel offensive or uncomfortable, and that asking him to exercise judgment about the setting would be asking him to censor himself?
Because if so, fair enough – at least that's a consistent position. I'm genuinely interested in whether the principle is the same when the political expression is coming from the other direction.

Out of interest, do you apply this equally to Boy George? He faced calls to be removed from performances after releasing We Will Dance Again, and ultimately withdrew from Jesus Christ Superstar after the controversy. There were also calls for his Vancouver concert to be cancelled, which the venue refused on freedom of expression grounds.
Would your position be exactly the same there – that Boy George should never be expected to moderate what he says or performs because an audience might find his views on Israel offensive or uncomfortable, and that asking him to exercise judgment about the setting would be asking him to censor himself?
Because if so, fair enough – at least that's a consistent position. I'm genuinely interested in whether the principle is the same when the political expression is coming from the other direction.

Of course you have to be brave, Macklemore got fired for expressing pro Palestine views, not because he said anything offensive just for sharing pro Palestine views. He could afford the loss, not everyone can. Seeing someone lose work, especially when you are an artist and income can be so variable, just for expressing their views in their art will of course make some people more reluctant to share theirs. You have to be brave to risk your income like that.

It still sounds to me like you want an artist to censor himself. You can call it whatever you want though.

He can express himself just not any where that there is a possibility that someone might not know what he stands for and as a result may feel uncomfortable. In those cases he should stick to bland love songs about not having a spine or whatever it is Ed got famous for.

While the Israeli hostages were still in Hamas captivity after October 7th, there was a woman in Germany, Karoline Preisler, who would go to pro-Palestine demos with placards saying ‘Bring them back’ or ‘Rape is not resistance’.

She would stand at the edge of the protest, simply holding her placards.

For that she was abused, attacked and threatened, both directly in person and online. So much so that she required police protection.

Those who claim ‘Free Palestine’ is completely baggage-free, how do they explain such levels of aggression towards a woman simply exercising her right to peaceful protest?

No, that's still not what I meant, and I don't think it's fair to tell me that it is. There's a difference between thinking an artist should be censored and thinking an artist should exercise judgment about what is appropriate in a particular setting. I've repeatedly said Macklemore is entitled to make political art, advocate for Palestinians and express his views. I haven't suggested otherwise. I also think Jewish people in that audience are entitled to say that the way he chose to do it made them uncomfortable.

We clearly disagree about where that balance lies, which is fine. But please disagree with what I'm actually saying rather than telling me that what I really want is censorship.

It's odd that people say 'Free Palestine' is completely baggage-free and no one should have any qualms about hearing it, when it is quite obviously used as a form of anti-Semitic abuse. People shout 'Free Palestine' at Jewish people just walking down the street.

I don't know why so much energy does into denying that there are bad actors who use pro-Palestinian campaigning. Why not divert that energy into encouraging use of different slogans that are more difficult to co-opt? 'Peace in the Middle East' is a good one.

”I don't know if it's because I am artist that I find this view really sad or what but imagine a world without self expression, where the only opinions allowed are bland and boring. Artists forced to censor themselves just in case someone out there doesn't know what they are about and finds it uncomfortable to see something that actually means something. Miserable.”

This is such bs.

Artists use this conflict to bolster their popularity and reach.
There’s nothing brave and courageous about expressing a pro Palestinian view - it’s actually become very conformist, performative and boring.

No, that's still not what I meant, and I don't think it's fair to tell me that it is. There's a difference between thinking an artist should be censored and thinking an artist should exercise judgment about what is appropriate in a particular setting. I've repeatedly said Macklemore is entitled to make political art, advocate for Palestinians and express his views. I haven't suggested otherwise. I also think Jewish people in that audience are entitled to say that the way he chose to do it made them uncomfortable.

We clearly disagree about where that balance lies, which is fine. But please disagree with what I'm actually saying rather than telling me that what I really want is censorship.

...and vice versa of course. Hijackings, car bombs, suicide bombs, stabbings, car rammings, Munich olympics, Achille Lauro, Entebbe (Netanyahu's brother was killed saving hostages), the Ramallah lynchings (the red hand badge at the oscars made me...uncomfortable), Shalhavet Pass and of course 7/10.

But apparently that is the intafada that some idiots are hoping to globalise.

...and vice versa of course. Hijackings, car bombs, suicide bombs, stabbings, car rammings, Munich olympics, Achille Lauro, Entebbe (Netanyahu's brother was killed saving hostages), the Ramallah lynchings (the red hand badge at the oscars made me...uncomfortable), Shalhavet Pass and of course 7/10.

But apparently that is the intafada that some idiots are hoping to globalise.

Now that you've stopped talking in circles there really isn't anything more to add. Thanks for finally being clear, it was confusing when you said that you didn't want censorship when it seems like that's exactly what you wanted.

You wanted Macklemore to censor himself, not use his art to express his feelings or to advocate for people because this might make some people uncomfortable and their feelings of comfort come before Macklemores right to self expression.

I don't know if it's because I am artist that I find this view really sad or what but imagine a world without self expression, where the only opinions allowed are bland and boring. Artists forced to censor themselves just in case someone out there doesn't know what they are about and finds it uncomfortable to see something that actually means something. Miserable.

Anyway, something good has come about this whole debacle, a few million raised by Macklemore and Ms Rachel for Palestinians and lots of news articles raising the profile of the Palestinian people's struggles.

Now that you've stopped talking in circles there really isn't anything more to add. Thanks for finally being clear, it was confusing when you said that you didn't want censorship when it seems like that's exactly what you wanted.

You wanted Macklemore to censor himself, not use his art to express his feelings or to advocate for people because this might make some people uncomfortable and their feelings of comfort come before Macklemores right to self expression.

I don't know if it's because I am artist that I find this view really sad or what but imagine a world without self expression, where the only opinions allowed are bland and boring. Artists forced to censor themselves just in case someone out there doesn't know what they are about and finds it uncomfortable to see something that actually means something. Miserable.

Anyway, something good has come about this whole debacle, a few million raised by Macklemore and Ms Rachel for Palestinians and lots of news articles raising the profile of the Palestinian people's struggles.

Again you cannot tell me and the majority of my community what to be scared off.

When I hear Free Palestine, I wonder if you are someone who (1) cares about peace in the Middle East (setting aside a lack of concern for all other conflicts); or (2) holds Jews in utter contempt (often disguised as anti-Zionism as if they are different).

The Free Palestine chat has been associated with:

The Yom Kipur 2025 murders in Manchester. Just hours after the killings of two Jews outside their synagogue, a pro Palestine march mobilised outside Downing Street. Full of chants of Free Palestine and fuck the Jews. A larger march in central London saw the same that weekend.

The 9/11 attacks. Osama Bin Laden expressly told the west he was motivated by the Free Palestine ideology

The 2025 stabbing of 2 israeli embassy staff in Washington DC where the attacker shouted Free Palestine

The 2025 US firebomb attack on a walk for the hostages. Again the attacker shouted Free Palestine

there have been many more incidents than the ones I mention avoided. There will be more in the future

It is not surprising that the things you have mentioned completely and utterly lacks context.

As for claiming that the words "Free Palestine" is "frankly terrifying" is ridiculous considering what the Palestinian people have been subjected to.

I mean a better comparison would be if someone went on stage and gave their pro Israel views. I would say that anyone who felt uncomfortable with that should leave and if the artist had been vocally advocating for Israel for years they probably should have not have gone if pro Israel rhetoric was going to make them uncomfortable.

Would you be OK with an act being censored because they said 'I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom. Stand with Israel!'?

Are you honestly not sure who is the aggressor out of Israel and Palestine?
When there is ethnic cleansing going on?

What did I want to happen? I would have expected the support act at an Ed Sheeran concert to perform their music without turning their set into a political intervention involving war imagery and specifically addressing Jewish members of the audience.

You clearly think that seeing Macklemore's name listed as support means everyone attending should have researched his political performances beforehand and either accepted whatever he chose to do or stayed away. I don't. I think that's where we fundamentally disagree, and I'm not sure there's much more to add.