Macklemore’s UK Concert to Fund Palestine Youth Group Linked to Hamas Praise

Macklemore, whose legal name is Benjamin Haggerty, announced that ticket sales from his October 30 performance at London’s 12,500-seat Wembley Arena will support a slate of charities, among them the Palestine Youth Movement. The group’s British spokesperson, Jeanine Hourani, has publicly described the Oct. 7 Hamas hostage-taking as “legitimate” and labeled the events a “prison break,” prompting the Jewish Leadership Council to condemn the partnership as a possible endorsement of anti-Jewish violence.

The council has called on promoter Live Nation to reveal how it vetted the organization and what measures will protect Jewish staff and concertgoers from antisemitic incitement. This dispute arrives weeks after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour after delivering “Free Palestine” messages and accusations of genocide and apartheid, actions that led venue owners, including Gillette Stadium’s owner Robert Kraft, to block his appearance.

The Israeli-American Council praised his removal, calling his stage remarks “poison.” In response, Haggerty launched a headlining “Macklemore & Friends—Free Palestine Tour.”