Zach Bryan Wears ‘Free Palestine’ Shirt Onstage at Robert Kraft-Owned Gillette Stadium

Carena Liptak Sat, October 3, 2026 at 1:05 PM UTC

252

©Jason Kempin, Getty Images

Zach Bryan played the first of two scheduled tour stops at Foxborough, Ma.’s Gillette Stadium on Friday night (Oct. 3.)

During that show, the singer wore a black shirt that read “Free Palestine” as well as the phrase, “An appeal to heaven,” according to numerous social media videos. Per TMZ, members of Bryan’s band also wore pro-Palestine shirts onstage.

The singer did not appear to comment on the shirt, or his views on Palestine, verbally during his performance. However, the move came just weeks after a highly-publicized situation unfolded around Gillette Stadium, its owner Robert Kraft and artists Ed Sheeran and Macklemore.

Bryan is scheduled to return to Gillette Stadium on Saturday night (Oct. 3) for a second show.

What Did Zach Bryan’s “Free Palestine” Shirt Mean?

In addition to the “Free Palestine” message itself, Bryan’s shirt included the phrase “An appeal to heaven.”

According to USA Today, that phrase is often connected to a Revolutionary War-era flag, inspired by a treatise from John Locke. Locke used that phrase in writing about living under an unjust ruler, in which he said that constituents must “appeal to Heaven” through spiritual practices.

Macklemore Removed From Ed Sheeran’s Tour Over Pro-Palestine Comments

In mid-September, pop superstar Ed Sheeran was scheduled to bring his Loop Tour to Gillette Stadium. Ahead of that show, opener Macklemore announced he had been removed from the tour due to his pro-Palestine messaging onstage.

During the two stadium dates Macklemore had played so far, he’d shared pro-Palestine comments and sang his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall.” At MetLife Stadium, he spoke specifically to Jewish audience members to clarify that his criticism of the Israeli governemnt was not a criticism of them.

Macklemore said that after the public response to those onstage comments, Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft had called Sheeran to tell him that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at the stadium.

“Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: If Macklemore plays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues,” the rapper wrote in his statement.

Advertisement

Kraft and Ed Sheeran both issued statements of their own. Kraft said that Macklemore’s statements crossed a line into hate speech and antisemitism, while acknowledging the suffering of Palestinian people. Sheeran said he’d tried to build bridges ahead of Macklemore’s removal from the tour, and emphasized that he doesn’t use his professional platform for politics.

Opening acts Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham dropped off Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinian people, as did Sheeran’s Irish folk band Beoga.

Macklemore subsequently announced he was donating the $1 million he’d earned from Sheeran’s tour to six named Palestine relief organizations, and he challenged Kraft to match his donation. Kraft said that Sheeran had already asked him to match a $2 million pledge to “aid in the region,” though he hasn’t specified which causes will benefit.

Ed Sheeran continued his tour without his band and opening acts, but the Gillette Stadium shows never wound up happening: They were canceled due to adverse weather.

What Are Zach Bryan’s Political Views?

In 2025, Zach Bryan described himself as a “total libertarian” in an interview with Vanity Fair. He said he’s on “neither of those radical sides,” referring to the far right and far left.

Read More: Why is Zach Bryan Beefing With the U.S. Government?

That year, the singer’s song “Bad News” received scrutiny over lyrics that appeared to criticize the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“ICE is gonna come bust down your door / Try and build a house no one builds no more / But I got a telephone / Kids are all scared and all alone,” the lyric in question reads.

The Department of Homeland Security itself responded to Bryan’s song, with a representative telling TMZ that he should “stick to ‘Pink Skies.'” The DHS also shared a compilation video of ICE raids and arrests to its X page, setting the montage to Bryan’s popular song “Revival.”

In a response to that, Bryan reminded fans that he loves his country, pointing out his eight-year service in the United States Navy, and said that the reaction to his song is proof of how “devastatingly divided we all are.”

“We need to find our way back,” he added.

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”