Pink has responded to criticism after sharing a message questioning Macklemore’s speech during her opening act for Ed Sheeran in New Jersey. The rapper had ended his speech by shouting “Free Palestine” and saying that he wanted his words to reach Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Pink shared a message from StopAntisemitism that accused Macklemore of using “anti-Israel propaganda” and called for him to apologize. The publication raised a wave of criticism against the singer, who has now explained her position in a long message on social networks, according to Rolling Stone.
“A repost is not a statement,” Pink wrote, acknowledging that she shared the message without agreeing with all of its words. He has also clarified that he was not questioning Macklemore’s right to say “Free Palestine.” What alarmed him, he explains, was the context of his performance: the rapper gave the speech to a stadium full of families while violent images of war were shown on the screens. “You can’t decide for us,” Pink wrote, referring to the Jews present at the concert.
Pink also recalls that her relationship with Macklemore has changed over the years. He mentions that he was a fan at the time of ‘Same Love’ (2014), but criticizes the costume that the rapper wore months later and which was interpreted as an anti-Semitic caricature, for which he later apologized.
Pink, who identifies as Jewish, insists that she does not speak for Israel or any government. “Hamas is a terrorist organization,” he wrote, while stating that Palestinians deserve “a future that respects their humanity and aspirations” and that protecting civilian lives must be a priority.
