Philadelphia police prep for Ed Sheeran concert as advocacy group demands answers over Macklemore's removal

Philadelphia police are preparing for Ed Sheeran's concert at Lincoln Financial Field scheduled for Saturday night. It will be the first show of Sheeran's U.S. "Loop" tour since a controversy erupted.

The controversy began when rapper Macklemore was dropped from Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during a Sept. 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Since then, all opening acts have dropped out in support of the "Thrift Shop" artist.

A coalition of pro-Palestinian protesters is planning to rally outside the stadium before the concert begins.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Philadelphia has sent an open letter to the Philadelphia Eagles, the stadium operator and the city asking who made the decision to remove Macklemore from the show at the Linc.

The letter says the issue goes beyond one artist or one concert, raising questions about free speech and whether Macklemore's support for Palestinian rights played a role in his removal.

Police sources tell CBS News Philadelphia that officers, including members of the Civil Affairs Division, will be deployed at the concert to make sure any potential protests don't get out of hand.

Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of CAIR Philadelphia, said the civil rights organization filed a right-to-know request Wednesday seeking information about who was involved in the decision to remove Macklemore from Saturday's concert.

"We are trying to learn through our right-to-know request … who was involved in these discussions," Tekelioglu said.

Tekelioglu questioned whether Philadelphia public entities involved with Lincoln Financial Field were consulted before the decision was made. The stadium is operated by the Eagles, while the venue's naming rights are held by Lincoln Financial Group. Tekelioglu said public funding was also involved in the stadium and surrounding development.

Tekelioglu said CAIR Philadelphia believes Macklemore's statements supporting Palestinians should be protected as political expression and that disagreements over them should not result in an artist being removed from a public venue.

"This is not merely a Palestine discussion," Tekelioglu said. "This is something that everyone should care about."

Tekelioglu said CAIR Philadelphia had not received a response from the Eagles as of Friday night. For Tekelioglu, the issue extends beyond the concert itself.

"You go to concerts, you go to stand-up comedy shows. You don't necessarily agree with everything that an artist says," he said. "But here, it's a big decision."

Police said the number of officers assigned to the concert is standard for any show at the Linc.

The Eagles have not returned a request for comment. The team manages Lincoln Financial Field.

Ed Sheeran said in a post on Instagram that he tried to "build a bridge" between Macklemore and Robert Kraft and the other venues. Sheeran said Messina Touring Group, the tour promoter, made the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour.

"I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew," he said in part.

Fans try to sell tickets

Billy O'Keefe, of Blackwood, New Jersey, was planning to attend the concert with his fiancée but is now trying to sell his tickets.

"I don't want to risk anything happening," O'Keefe said. 

O'Keefe said his decision is not political, and family members were worried about their safety.

Mixing music and politics

Musicians using their platforms to express their political views is nothing new. 

Philadelphia radio DJ and music historian Patty Jackson said she thinks fans will see politics and music mixing more often. During the Vietnam War, she said, the Beatles and other groups spoke out.

"I think we're starting a new era, I really do, where people are tired," she said. "They're sick and tired of being sick and tired. They see things happening, and now they're taking a stand."

Macklemore, Robert Kraft respond to controversy

Macklemore said in part on Instagram, "What I said at MetLife I have been saying on stages around the world for almost three years. So why is it an issue now? Because now I'm sharing a stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stadiums in America. At a certain level of exposure, 'Free Palestine' becomes too much of a risk." 

In a post later, Macklemore said he would donate the $1 million he earned from the tour to six organizations working with the Palestinian people. He said, "I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation."

In a statement on Monday, Kraft said, "Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech."

"Based on Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line," Kraft said.

In a statement posted by Gillette Stadium on social media Thursday, Robert Kraft said, "I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting. Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.

"In addition, I'd like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships."