NEWSZach Bryan Wears 'Free Palestine' Shirt at Gillette Stadium Concert Weeks After Ed Sheeran Tour Controversy
Zach Bryan performed during his Gillette Stadium concert weeks after controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour.
Oct. 5 2026, Published 8:56 a.m. ET
Zach Bryan made his position visible during his latest concert.
The country singer, 30, wore a black cutoff T-shirt reading "Free Palestine" during his Friday, October 2, performance.
"Tonight, Zach Bryan broke the Gillette Stadium attendance record with 73,538 fans!" Gillette Stadium shared via Instagram the next day of the tour, on Sunday, October 4, alongside several photos from Bryan’s With Heaven On Tour concert.
Bryan wore the "Free Palestine" T-shirt for the second consecutive night, showing his support for the cause.
Zach Bryan Wore a 'Free Palestine' Shirt
Zach Bryan performed at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during his latest tour stop.
Videos shared on social media showed Bryan performing in the shirt during his tour stop near Boston.
Per Us Weekly, one moment caught fans' attention when the pictures posted by Gillette Stadium’s official handle showcased photos featuring no close-ups of Bryan’s shirt or the country singer’s face.
Fans quickly moved to the comment section and shared their views and questions on it.
"They’re carefully choosing pics so you can’t read the shirt," one person wrote.
"What t-shirt was he wearing? I could barely see it from these pics," another commenter asked.
"What his shirt say krafty?" a third person questioned.
Zach Bryan wore a 'Free Palestine' T-shirt for the second consecutive night during his tour.
Gigi and Bella Hadid's older half-sister Alana also weighed in on the photos: "Weird you don’t want a close up of his face / shirt."
"Not them purposefully choosing pictures where the t-shirt text is blurry," a user wrote.
This moment came weeks after rapper Macklemore said he was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour at the request of Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft following his public support for Palestinians.
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Macklemore’s Removal Sparked Controversy
Macklemore spoke out about his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour following his pro-Palestinian remarks.
Per The Guardian, Macklemore previously said he was taken off Sheeran’s tour by promoter Messina Touring Group after making pro-Palestinian remarks during shows.
He performed his protest song "Hind's Hall" at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The decision was followed by the withdrawal of Sheeran’s other opening acts, including Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, Finneas, and house band Beoga.
They reportedly left the tour in protest of Macklemore’s removal.
Per the BBC, Sheeran later addressed the controversy during his first show in Philadelphia after news of the decision became public.
He explained his perspective on the situation.
"I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet," he said.
Macklemore announced his Free Palestine Tour for the fall, which did not include Gillette Stadium.
Per NBC News, the controversy continued after Macklemore announced his Free Palestine Tour for the fall.
Gillette Stadium was not included among the tour dates.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has remained a point of discussion across the entertainment world, including amid reactions to Israel’s war in Gaza.
The issue has also reached other areas of pop culture, from local political races to exhibitions at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
