Macklemore announces his ‘Free Palestine Tour’ has sold out ‘immediately’ following Ed Sheeran fallout

“All three shows sold out immediately. I’m honestly blown away,” he wrote. “We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds, and show what collective action can look like.”

He added: “When those in power try to silence our calls for liberation, art will always be a form of resistance.”

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The American rapper described the overwhelming demand as “another reminder of how many people across the world are standing together for a free Palestine.”

Fans and famous faces flocked to the comments of the post to show their support for the musician’s fundraising venture.

Paloma Faith was among one of the first to congratulate Macklemore, typing a series of love-heart and fire emojis on the post.

“Yes yes yes,” musician Tones and I replied, along with a series of love-heart emojis, while ITV’s Adil Ray reposted the announcement.

The tour emerged after Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour earlier this month.

During a performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the rapper had used his platform to voice support for Palestinians, telling the crowd that a key motivation for joining the tour was to “stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine.”

His remarks prompted Robert Kraft, the billionaire New England Patriots owner who also controls Gillette Stadium, to spearhead efforts to bar Macklemore from performing at his venue.

The Messina Touring Group, which promotes the US leg of Mr Sheeran’s tour, subsequently confirmed that multiple venues had refused to host concerts with Macklemore on the bill.

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The fallout completely derailed Mr Sheeran’s tour as fellow support acts Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham all withdrew from the Loop Tour, as did Mr Sheeran’s backing band Beoga.

Mr Sheeran tried to distance himself from the decision, affirming it had been the “promoter’s decision” to drop Macklemore, but pro-Palestine activists didn’t let up.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Philadelphia stop of the Loop Tour to protest Macklemore’s removal, while Mr Sheeran apologised onstage for “mistakes” following the “worst week of my life”.

Mr Sheeran faced criticism from all corners of the pro-Palestinian movement. The aforementioned Ms Faith, as well as musicians Billy Bragg and Roger Waters, led the campaign against the A Team singer’s decision.

He has received public displays of support from some famous figures, however, with the likes of Boy George, Jeremy Clarkson and Snow Patrol’s Johnny McDaid defending Mr Sheeran.

Macklemore’s three-date run kicks off in Dublin on October 26, moves to Paris on the 29th, and wraps up in London on October 30. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to organisations working to support the Palestinian people and their movement.

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Macklemore has indicated that support act lineups for the shows will be revealed shortly.

In announcing the tour last week, he said he had been reaching out to “artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences.”