Greta Thunberg has called out Ed Sheeran‘s “lack of spine” on Palestine, and urged people not to follow suit, encouraging them to step out of their comfort zones in the fight against genocide.
The environmental activist, who last year was abducted in international waters and illegally detained in an Israeli prison while attempting to break their blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to the occupied Gaza Strip, made her comments in a recent Instagram video.
“Yes, Ed Sheeran should be accountable for his lack of spine,” it begins. “But remember that we have to continuously apply the same pressure on all those complicit in all genocides. The bigger your platform and your access to resources, the bigger your responsibility.
“But [it is] also on ourselves and the institutions that we are part of, where we have to push for boycotts, sanctions, and divestments. If we ourselves are not stepping out of our comfort zones, we are not doing enough. And remember, silence is complicity, and you cannot be neutral in a genocide.
The new video arrives after Sheeran drew significant controversy after former opener Macklemore was dropped from the singer’s ‘Loop’ tour over his pro-Palestine comments, which was inflamed by Sheeran’s subsequent speech about trying “not be a political commentator of any kind” throughout his career.
Sheeran returned to the stage in Philadelphia on Saturday (September 19) and admitted making “mistakes” over the Macklemore row, telling the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field that the fallout had made him question whether he wanted “to be an artist at all”.
“I’ve had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so, so sorry,” he said.
Sheeran also said he had never intended to be “an activist musician”, but that the controversy had placed him at the centre of “an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech”.
“I am deeply worried about the idea that venues should pre-approve content for performers,” he told the audience. “This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world.”
Turning to Gaza, he added: “I’ve tried in my career to not be a political commentator of any kind because I want my music and shows to be about unity, not division, about humanity, not politics.
“But this is a humanitarian issue, and I cannot hide how I feel about it anymore.”
Sheeran described the Hamas-led attack at the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023 as “horrific”, before saying that what was happening in Gaza was “catastrophic, unjustifiable, and disproportionate”.
He also said he was “speaking to people across the spectrum” about making a humanitarian contribution.
During the same concert, Sheeran revealed that he had removed the usual B-stage from the show because he was “afraid of what might happen” if he stood in the middle of the crowd.
“I didn’t know if I’d have things thrown at me,” he told fans.
“Last week I saw people I’ve known for years, friends abandoned me and today I saw 50.000 people who haven’t abandoned me“
— Ed during his final speech last night in Philadelphia
Cr: bridgetgoes on TikTok pic.twitter.com/67UATXAvbk
— Ed Sheeran Access (@AccessEdSheeran) September 21, 2026
Among Sheeran’s defenders is Bob Geldof, who recently told the Belfast Telegraph that artists have the right to decide when and where they want to use their platform to speak on political issues.
Geldof: “There are those who say, y’know, at a certain level of fame, having a non-political stance is political. No, that’s not right. Fame is a currency, and it depends on how you want to use it.”
He continued: “I wouldn’t expect The Rolling Stones to get up and go on about Gaza, you just wouldn’t. Why? Because it’s not their thing, although I’m quite sure that Mick Jagger has an opinion on it.”
Geldof’s defence of Sheeran follows similar comments from former support act Aaron Rowe, who said that anger over the situation should instead be aimed at “the likes of Robert Kraft”.
“I’m gonna be honest, I think youse are all focusing on the wrong person here,” Rowe said. “All I keep hearing is Ed Sheeran this, Ed Sheeran that, when youse really should be focusing on the likes of Robert Kraft.”
Rowe, who was among the musicians to withdraw from the tour, acknowledged that Sheeran’s initial statement “could have been a lot better” and maintained that Macklemore should not have been removed.
However, he added: “All he has inside of him is kindness. That is who Ed Sheeran is. And yes, like every other human being he makes fucking mistakes.”
Macklemore was dropped after making an impassioned “Free Palestine” speech during his support slots at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he also performed his protest track ‘Hind’s Hall’ alongside footage from Gaza.
He subsequently faced calls for his removal from figures including Pink and the Israeli American Council.
Kraft later said he found Macklemore’s comments “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”. Sheeran has maintained that the final decision to remove the rapper was made by promoter Messina Touring Group after a number of venues objected to Macklemore appearing.
The move prompted FINNEAS, Lukas Graham, Rowe and Beoga to withdraw from the tour, while Sheeran’s backing musicians also pulled out.
Others have continued to weigh in on the dispute. In an interview with NME published yesterday (September 21), Maruja said they hoped the controversy would redirect attention “back to what is actually going on in Palestine”, adding that the situation “isn’t about Macklemore and Ed Sheeran”.
Frontman Joe Carroll added: “You get misled that you have to pick a side, but this is a genocide. There shouldn’t be any ‘picking a side’, it’s just basic human morality.”
