Zach Bryan wears 'Free Palestine' shirt at Kraft-owned Gillette Stadium after Macklemore dispute
Country singer Zach Bryan wore a "Free Palestine" shirt at Friday's Gillette Stadium show, weeks after Robert Kraft pressed Ed Sheeran's tour to drop Macklemore. A second Bryan show there is set for Saturday.
Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Al Jazeera.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Zach Bryan wore a "Free Palestine" shirt on stage on Friday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is owned by Robert Kraft's Kraft Group. DeadlineN “the Grammy winner stepped onto the stage with a “Free Palestine” shirt” Read at Deadline ↗ Daily MailR “who owns Gillette Stadium through his holding company, the Kraft Group” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Mixed · 2The show was the first of two back-to-back dates there on Bryan's With Heaven On Tour, with the second set for Saturday night; Deadline said it remains to be seen whether Kraft will pull the plug. Daily MailR “Bryan is scheduled for back-to-back shows at the venue, with his second one slated for Saturday night.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ DeadlineN “it remains to be seen if Kraft will pull the plug.” Read at Deadline ↗ Right · 1The Daily Mail, citing TMZ, reported that members of Bryan's band also wore "Free Palestine" shirts. Daily MailR “According to TMZ, members of Bryan's band were also wearing 'Free Palestine' shirts.” Read at Daily Mail ↗
Mixed · 2The shirt followed the removal of rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's tour over his pro-Palestinian remarks. Macklemore wrote on Instagram that Sheeran told him Kraft had rallied other stadium owners to give an ultimatum: if Macklemore stayed on the tour, Sheeran would not be allowed to play their venues. DeadlineN “Kraft assembled several of the tour venues to give him an ultimatum” Read at Deadline ↗ Daily MailR “if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Left · 1Al Jazeera, in a short video item, described Kraft as a "pro-Israel billionaire" who "recently prevented Macklemore performing there on a Ed Sheeran tour, over pro-Palestine remarks". Al JazeeraLC “The pro-Israel billionaire recently prevented Macklemore performing there on a Ed Sheeran tour, over pro-Palestine remarks.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Sheeran said the decision was the promoter's, not his. He said he has personal views on the conflict but chose not to speak publicly, and that he would not abandon fans, crew and other acts who rely on him. Daily MailR “saying it wasn't his decision to ax Macklemore, but rather the promoter's.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ DeadlineN “Opting to remain publicly neutral on the issue” Read at Deadline ↗
Mixed · 2Openers Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham, and Sheeran's backing band Beoga, then left the tour. Finneas said 'artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed'. Roger Waters also criticised Sheeran on social media, the Daily Mail reported. DeadlineN “fellow tour openers Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham dropped out of the tour, along with Sheeran's backing band Beoga.” Read at Deadline ↗ Daily MailR “Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters, who bashed him on social media” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Right · 1Back on stage in Philadelphia on 19 September, Sheeran said he had been through 'one of the worst weeks of my life' and was worried about venues pre-approving performance content. Daily MailR “'one of the worst weeks of my life.'”“I am deeply worried about the idea that venues pre-approved content performance.” Read at Daily Mail ↗ Centre · 1Deadline reported that Sheeran's Gillette Stadium shows last weekend were cancelled because of a nor'easter heading for Boston. It also reported that Macklemore announced a "Free Palestine Tour" running 26–30 October in Dublin, Paris and London, which he said "sold out immediately". DeadlineN “Ed Sheeran was forced to cancel his Gillette Stadium shows last weekend amid a nor’easter headed for Boston”“running 10/26-10/30 in Dublin, Paris and London” Read at Deadline ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Brief video item that presents Bryan's shirt as a response to Kraft's treatment of Macklemore, and describes Kraft as a pro-Israel billionaire.
- Emphasis
- Kraft's political stance and his role in keeping Macklemore off the Sheeran tour.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Sheeran's statements, the artists who left the tour, the band's shirts or Saturday's second show.
- Charged language
- “pro-Israel billionaire”
- For example
-
“The pro-Israel billionaire recently prevented Macklemore performing there on a Ed Sheeran tour, over pro-Palestine remarks.” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Short news item that treats Bryan's shirt as a statement in the Kraft–Macklemore dispute and asks if Kraft will act on Saturday.
- Emphasis
- Kraft's pressure on Sheeran, the artists who left the tour, and Macklemore's sold-out tour.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the band's shirts, Sheeran's Philadelphia remarks or Waters' criticism.
- For example
-
“With another performance scheduled at the Massachusetts venue on Saturday night, it remains to be seen if Kraft will pull the plug.” — Deadline
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Celebrity-news piece that calls Bryan's gesture defiant and gives much space to Sheeran's apology and speech.
- Emphasis
- Sheeran's statements, the band's shirts (via TMZ), Bryan's and Kraft's ages, and Waters' criticism.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Macklemore's Free Palestine Tour or the weather cancellation of Sheeran's Gillette shows.
- Charged language
- “defiant”
- For example
-
“Zach Bryan made a defiant statement as he took the stage at Gillette Stadium clad in a shirt reading 'Free Palestine' on Friday night.” — Daily Mail
What every side reports
- Bryan wore a 'Free Palestine' shirt at Gillette Stadium on Friday.
- Kraft owns the venue and is linked to Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's tour.
- Bryan has a second show at the venue on Saturday night.
- Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga left Sheeran's tour.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether Kraft banned Macklemore or pressured Sheeran
- Centre
- Deadline says Kraft and other venue owners pressured Sheeran to drop Macklemore with an ultimatum.
- Right
- The Daily Mail says Kraft 'banned Macklemore from playing there', and also relays Macklemore's account of an ultimatum, which comes via Sheeran.
-
Zach Bryan wore a "Free Palestine" shirt on stage at Gillette Stadium on Friday.
Supported- Supports 3
- Al Jazeera, Deadline, Daily Mail
-
Robert Kraft pressured Ed Sheeran's tour to drop Macklemore over his pro-Palestinian remarks.
Supported- Supports 2
- Al Jazeera, Deadline
- Reports 1
- Daily Mail
Zach Bryan person
Bryan made no statement in the coverage. Both outlets treat the shirt as his own statement on the dispute.
“Zach Bryan made a statement with his performance at Gillette Stadium.” — Deadline
“Zach Bryan made a defiant statement” — Daily Mail
Robert Kraft person
Kraft is reported to have rallied venue owners to give Sheeran an ultimatum over Macklemore. No comment from Kraft is quoted.
“Kraft assembled several of the tour venues to give him an ultimatum” — Deadline
Macklemore person
Macklemore says Sheeran told him Kraft would not allow him to perform at his stadium. He has since announced a Free Palestine Tour.
“'Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium.” — Daily Mail
“He since gave an update that the tour “sold out immediately.”” — Deadline
Left1 article
-
Singer Zach Bryan wears Free Palestine shirt at Gillette Stadium
Sympathetic Short clip text that links Bryan's shirt to Kraft's pro-Israel stance and his role in Macklemore's removal.
Centre1 article
-
Zach Bryan Dons “Free Palestine” Shirt For Concert At Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium
Mixed Brief report that links Bryan's shirt to Kraft's pressure on Sheeran and wonders whether Kraft will respond.
Right1 article
-
Mixed Celebrity-style account of Bryan's 'defiant' gesture, padded with Sheeran's apology and speech.
- 3 Oct 04:34 First DeadlineN Zach Bryan Dons “Free Palestine” Shirt For Concert At Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium
- 3 Oct 06:25 +1h 51m Daily MailR Country singer Zach Bryan defiantly wears 'Free Palestine' shirt while performing at Robert Kraft-owned stadium… after Ed Sheeran tour drama
- 3 Oct 07:53 +3h 19m Al JazeeraLC Singer Zach Bryan wears Free Palestine shirt at Gillette Stadium
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.